ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Abandoned Cars

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what conclusions she has reached on the consultation on reducing the statutory notice periods for cars abandoned on private land.

Michael Meacher: We plan to publish the consultation document in the very near future.

CAP Reform

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of the European Commission's proposals for CAP reform on growers of unsupported crops.

Margaret Beckett: Our published economic analysis of the Commission's proposals for reform of the CAP indicates an overall economic benefit to the UK of about £500 million. We are in discussion with industry representatives about the impact of the proposed new system on producers of unsupported crops.

Farming

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the financial impact of the European Commission's decoupling proposals on those farm businesses that have acquired IACS registered land since the end of the reference period now proposed by the Commission.

Margaret Beckett: It is difficult to predict precisely what the financial impact on such farm businesses will be. However, we are in discussion with the European Commission about possible ways of protecting the interests of such businesses, such as by ensuring that entitlements to the decoupled payment flow to those farming the land on the introduction of the new system. Some producers who have purchased land since the publication of the Commission's proposals will have benefited from lower land prices.

Farming

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has made to the European Commission about the impact of the Commission's decoupling proposals on people who have entered farming after the proposed reference years.

Margaret Beckett: The European Commission's proposals include provision for a national reserve of decoupled payment entitlements. The Commission has confirmed that member states can use this reserve to allocate full or enhanced entitlements to producers who have entered farming since the start of the proposed reference period.

Grass Keep

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the position, under the European Commission's mid-term review proposals, of land rented for grass keep; what her policy is on this matter; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: It is difficult to predict the likely impact on individual businesses, but our initial analysis suggests that, at an aggregate level, the proposals will not have a significant impact on the rental value of land for grass keep.

Information Technology

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the compatibility of the information technology systems operated by the (a) State Veterinary Service, (b) British Cattle Movement Service and (c) Rural Payments Agency.

Margaret Beckett: The main IT system used by the State Veterinary Service (SVS) to administer their work has been in service for a number of years. When the British Cattle Movement service came into existence, the Cattle Tracing System was set up with links and interfaces to the SVS's system.
	A major investment in IT improvements is being made at the BCMS. The system will be moved onto a more secure platform and a facility is being developed to provide for the issue of 'statements' to producers showing details of the animals recorded on their holdings.
	The new computer system being developed for bovine schemes under the RPA Change Programme will provide interfaces to the systems used by the BCMS.
	Defra is moving forward in a co-ordinated way, using the RPA to lead in the development of Customer and Land registers which will form the basis of Defra-wide information. Care will be taken to ensure interoperability between existing and planned systems.

Long Leys

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on long leys systems of farming of the European Commission's mid-term review proposals.

Margaret Beckett: We have been pressing the European Commission to introduce sufficient flexibility within the rules of the proposed decoupled system to allow such systems of farming to continue.

Long Leys

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to press in the Council of Ministers for an exception to be made from the European Commission's definition of permanent pasture to benefit farmers who operate a system of long leys.

Margaret Beckett: We have been pressing the European Commission to allow a greater degree of flexibility in their definition of permanent pasture to ensure that such farmers are not disadvantaged. The Commission appear sympathetic to the issue and we are working with them on a solution.

Milk Quota

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the impact of the proposed milk quota replacement compensation scheme on producers of high butterfat milk;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on the method of calculation that she proposes to adopt for the purposes of the milk quota replacement compensation scheme.

Margaret Beckett: I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the dairy premium, which it is proposed should be paid in compensation for dairy support price cuts. Under Agenda 2000, these cuts are due to take place from 2005, and under the CAP reform proposals published on 22 January, from 2004. Under the Agenda 2000 agreement, eligibility for the dairy premium was to be based on the net litreage of quota held at the end of the quota year in each year of payment, and set by EC Council Regulation—it was not within national discretion to determine the eligibility criteria. This remains the case under the Commission's current CAP reform proposals, with (decoupled) payments still currently to be based on the net litreage of quota held, but fixed as at 31 March 2004 (that is, they would not vary from year to year).
	We have no evidence to suggest that producers of high butterfat milk would suffer any particularly adverse consequences as a result of these proposals, as compared to other dairy producers. Indeed, the reverse might prove the case, as high butterfat milk producers tend to supply the high-value, as opposed to bulk commodity, markets, and could continue to command some premium under the new support arrangements envisaged.

Nuclear Waste

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether it is her policy to allow indefinite disposal of low-level radioactive waste at landfill sites.

Michael Meacher: Current policy for controlled burial of low level radioactive wastes at landfill sites is set out in the 1995 White Paper "Review of Radioactive Waste Management Policy: Final Conclusions" (Cm2919). The White Paper concluded that controlled burial to landfill should continue to be available as a disposal route, particularly for "small users" of radioactivity—such as hospitals, universities, research laboratories and non-nuclear industries—subject to agreement of the site operators and the necessary regulatory requirements being met. In addition, I accept that the agreement of local residents is also important. Despite acknowledging that there might be sound economic and radiological grounds for encouraging greater use of controlled burial to landfill, Cm2919 concluded that its greater use by the nuclear industry should not be encouraged due to genuine anxieties that the proposal aroused among local residents.

Nuclear Waste

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the (a) public health and (b) environmental risks posed by the disposal of low-level nuclear waste in landfill sites.

Michael Meacher: An assessment of the radiological impact of disposals of radioactive waste from nuclear sites to Clifton Marsh was carried out in 2002 as part of the Environment Agency's review of radioactive waste disposal authorisations from the BNFL Springfields site. This showed that the operational and post-closure risks were acceptable and in line with regulatory guidance.
	An assessment of the impact of disposals to Hilts Quarry will be carried out in 2003 as part of the Environment Agency's review of the radioactive waste disposal authorisations for the Rolls-Royce Derby site.
	The Environment Agency has an established programme of environmental monitoring at current and disused landfill sites, focusing on levels of radioactivity in leachate which might arise at landfill sites. The results of this programme are included in the Agency's annual Radioactivity in the Environment report, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. In most cases results show that radioactivity concentrations are not elevated above levels expected to be found naturally.

Pollution

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans she has to incorporate annual emissions of pollutants from (a) local authority integrated pollution prevention and control sites (Part A(2) sites) and (b) local air pollution prevention and control (Part B sites) into the Environment Agency's pollution inventory;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on plans for incorporating annual emissions of pollutants from (a) local authority integrated pollution prevention and control sites (Part A(2) sites) and (b) local air pollution prevention and control sites (Part B sites) into the Environment Agency's pollution inventory.

Michael Meacher: The pollution inventory contains information about emissions to air, land and water from various industrial installations, including all processes subject to integrated pollution control (IPC). Operators have to report annually from a list of 150 substances where they exceed the reporting thresholds.
	As part of the development of the pollution inventory, the Environment Agency has been preparing for the implementation (in June 2003) of the integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) European pollutant emission register (EPER). This requires European Union member countries to report on 50 pollutants released to air and water from all IPPC sites every three years, whether or not they are yet permitted under IPPC.
	Under EPER, local authorities are required to collect emission data from the Part A(2) sites that they regulate under IPPC and this data are being incorporated into the UK report to the European Commission.
	The Department commissioned consultants in 1999 to investigate the feasibility of establishing a pollution inventory for processes under the then local air pollution control (LAPC) regime. The report was issued for comment to some 200 organisations on 18 January 2001 and received seven responses. The report reviewed a range of options and recommended that inventory data for air emissions should be collected only for those substances covered by the national air quality strategy together with a list of 15 additional substances.
	Those LAPC processes with the greater potential for pollution are now being transferred to Part A(2) and are subject to the EPER. Of the remainder, local authorities already need to collect Part B emissions data for the purposes of local air quality management review and assessment, and the national atmospheric emissions inventory includes data about all significant sources of man-made emissions, including those emitted from Part B installations. In view of this, and the likelihood that relatively few Part B installations not transferred to A(2) will emit substances above the reporting threshold levels set in the Environment Agency's pollution inventory, the Department has not considered it a priority to extend the inventory to Part Bs. However, this is being kept under review, in consultation with the Environment Agency.

Public Service Agreement

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (a) how many and (b) what grades of officials are responsible for the monitoring of progress towards the public service agreement targets of the Department.

Alun Michael: Monitoring progress towards the Department's PSA targets is undertaken by a wide variety of staff at all levels of the organisation.

Regional Policy

Joyce Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress her Department has made towards the goal set out in the White Paper, Your Region, Your Choice, of (a) ensuring that regional awareness and devolution feature strongly in Civil Service training and development, (b) increasing the mobility of civil servants between headquarters offices, regional offices and the Government Offices and (c) encouraging interchange between the Civil Service and organisations in the regions.

Alun Michael: Defra's induction programmes seeks to make staff aware of the vision, aims and objectives and scope of the work of the Department. This includes the regional and devolution dimensions. Staff attend more specific learning and development events offered internally or by the Civil Service College when appropriate.
	In the period 1 April 2002 to 31March 2003, 16 Defra staff have undertaken interchange activity in regional organisations. This compares with seven in the previous year.
	Mobility between HQ policy and regionally based delivery units is a strategic priority. Defra's Interchange Strategy places strong emphasis on interchange with partner organisations that are involved in the delivery of the Public Service Agreement Delivery Plans. The scope of these Plans ensures that interchange between headquarters; regional offices and the Government Offices and organisations in the Regions are involved. We are liaising with the Devolved Administrations, local authorities and the voluntary sector to seek further opportunities.

Special Advisers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the salary bill was for special advisers in her Department in 2002–03; and what it is expected to be in 2003–04.

Margaret Beckett: I refer the hon. member to the reply given to him on 24 April by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office.

Sulphur Emmissions

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of sulphur emissions in the UK.

Alun Michael: The latest estimate of UK atmospheric sulphur emissions is 1,125 kilotonnes in 2001. This is a 70 per cent. reduction on the 1990 emission (of 3,719 kilotonnes), and ahead of the UK's 2005 target of 1,470 kilotonnes in the 1994 UN/ECE protocol on the further reduction of sulphur emissions. The reductions are mainly attributed to lower emissions from power stations, homes and industry from the use of cleaner fuels and the fitting of emission abatement equipment, and from transport following the introduction of low sulphur fuels. Time series of UK emissions of pollutants are published annually in the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI), which can be viewed on the Internet atwww.naei.org.uk.

Waste Recycling

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received about the Environmental Protection (Waste Recycling Payments) (Amendment) (England) Regulations.

Michael Meacher: None.

Wind Turbines

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from the Countryside Agency about the impact of onshore wind turbines on the rural economy and environment.

Margaret Beckett: I have received no representations from the Countryside Agency on this topic.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Basic Pension

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to introduce a reduced basic pension for people who have paid the reduced liability rate of national insurance; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Those married women who choose to pay the reduced liability of national insurance contributions were made aware of the consequences of their decision. We therefore have no plans to introduce a reduced basic pension for those women. However, they will get a basic pension of around 60 per cent. of their husband's entitlement when both have reached state pension age and made claims.

Basic Pension

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the national insurance contribution requirements are for a basic pension; and whether those currently paying the reduced rate of national insurance will qualify for a basic pension.

Malcolm Wicks: In order to become entitled to the basic state pension, a person has to satisfy two conditions. The basic state pension is available to both the employed and self-employed. In addition, anyone may make voluntary national insurance contributions, subject to a time limit, if this is necessary to build up entitlement.
	The first basic state pension entitlement condition is that a person has either: one qualifying year since 6 April 1975 which is derived from the payment of class 1, 2 or 3 national insurance contributions or from class 1 contributions treated as paid; or paid 50 flat rate contributions at any time before 6 April 1975.
	The second basic state pension entitlement condition relates to the number of qualifying years a person has. Currently to get a full basic state pension a man needs 44, and a woman 39, qualifying years. The number of qualifying years can be reduced if a person is entitled to Home Responsibilities Protection. The basic state pension cannot be paid if a person has less than 25 per cent. of the qualifying years needed for a full state pension.
	In certain circumstances a person may be credited with earnings to help them get a state pension if they do not have enough earnings in a tax year to reach the level needed to make it a qualifying year.
	The payment of the reduced rate contribution does not give entitlement to the basic state pension but married women will get a basic state pension of around 60 per cent. of their husband's entitlement when both have reached state pension age and made claims.

British Sign Language

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 3 April 2003, Official Report, column 838W, on British Sign Language, what the financial value was of the contracts allocated (a) to improve the training infrastructure and (b) to address the shortage of British Sign Language interpreters since 1997; and if he will make a statement on the effects on BSL interpreter numbers in Britain.

Maria Eagle: The contract with the Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People (CACDP) to improve the training infrastructure for British Sign Language was worth a total of £198,750. Separately, a contract exists with the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) to recruit and train interpreters, to which DfEE/DWP and the RNID will each contribute £245,400 over its lifetime.
	These initiatives have made a contribution towards an increase in the number of registered interpreters in Britain, and there are currently 298 interpreters registered by the Independent Registration Panel with the CACDP. However, the system for registration and the basis of registration changed in April 2002, therefore it is not possible to directly compare these figures with those pre-April 2002.

Benefit Leaflets

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what arrangements are in place to ensure the leaflets available (a) in Jobcentre Plus offices and (b) from the Pensions Service are up-to-date; and what plans he has to re-introduce the former Benefits Agency guidance to ensure that the quarterly checks carried out by customer service managers include the accuracy of leaflets.

Malcolm Wicks: We are absolutely determined to ensure that we give accurate and up to date information to our customers. That is why we have introduced an electronic ordering system which makes it impossible for staff or outside organisations to order out of date stock, and why we are undertaking a Mystery Shopping Pilot at four Pension Centres. This will give a measure of performance against set quality standards—such as the content of a telephone greeting or the availability of leaflets, while offering an objective view of customer service.
	Detailed procedures exist to ensure that the Department's main suite of benefits information leaflets for the public are up to date. These include a six-monthly review of all such leaflets to check that they are factually accurate and remain up to date. In addition, information for staff and external bodies about current editions of leaflets is available electronically and kept up to date continuously.
	The Pensions Service has recently introduced an information management system which ensures that all products for the public are the responsibility of a named senior civil servant. A major overhaul of leaflets for people of working age this year will address procedures in Jobcentre Plus, including the role local managers in carrying out checks to ensure that leaflets provided over the counter for the public are up to date.

Benefits

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what benefits are available to women who have paid reduced rate contributions of national insurance.

Malcolm Wicks: Married women paying reduced rate contributions may be entitled to statutory sick pay and statutory maternity pay in addition to the full range of industrial injuries benefits. They will get a basic state pension of around 60 per cent of their husband's entitlement when both have reached state pension age and made a claim. They can also get widows' benefits based on their husband's insurance.
	Like full rate contributors, they enjoy free access to the National Health Service and may be entitled to non-contributory benefits such as the minimum income guarantee, child benefit, carer's allowance, housing benefit, disability living allowance, attendance allowance and council tax benefit on a similar basis. We are committed to ensuring that the Government's pension reforms improve women's pension rights. The introduction of stakeholder pensions, state second pension, winter fuel payments, improvements to the minimum income guarantee and, from October 2003, pension credit together with the £100 a year payment to people aged 80 and over announced in the Budget are, or will be, of particular help to women.

Benefits

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in (a) the Selly Oak constituency and (b) Birmingham draw their benefits at (i) post offices and (ii) banks or building societies; and what change there has been in the last six months.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested. Information available prior to 28 December 2002 has not been geographically referenced. Information provided in the requested format has been compiled from the data available on 28 December 2002 and 22 March 2003 respectively, and are shown in the following tables:
	
		1. Pensioners in the Selly Oak constituency
		
			 From dataavailable on: Total numberof pensioners receiving benefit(s) Drawing at least one benefit at a post office Drawing at least one benefit at a bank or building society 
		
		
			  
			  
			 28 December 2002 14,974 8,582 7,157 
			 22 March 2003 14,877 8,413 7,202 
		
	
	
		2. Pensioners in Birmingham Local Authority
		
			 From dataavailable on: Total numberof pensioners receiving benefit(s) Drawing at least one benefit at a post office Drawing at least one benefit at a bank or building society 
		
		
			  
			  
			 28 December 2002 160,619 102,958 65,324 
			 22 March 2003 160,021 101,533 66,218

Benefits

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his Answer of 3 April, Official Report, column 837W, on benefit uprating, for what reasons the minimum income guarantee is not uprated by the Rossi index.

Maria Eagle: We have made a commitment to uprate the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) in line with average earnings for the rest of this Parliament. Since April 2003, a single pensioner receiving the MIG is at least £930 a year better off in real terms than in 1997. A pensioner couple is at least £1,400 a week better off.

Benefits

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will issue guidance to ensure that callers to the benefits payment helpline wishing to open a post office account are given every assistance in opening such an account, rather than a bank account.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government's information campaign, to support the move to Direct Payment, provides customers with factual information on the banking options available to them, including information on the Post Office card account. We will write directly to all customers affected by the change to provide them with the information they need to decide which option is best for them. The information is presented in a way that enables customers to decide which option is best for their individual circumstances. All of the information material, including the scripts used by our call centre staff, sets out the key features of the various types of accounts and mentions Post Office access and the Post Office card account.
	Card-based accounts may not be the most suitable option for many people. They may prefer to use an account with a cheque book or pass book. Customers will be supplied with information which clearly sets out their account options and which will enable them to decide which account is right for them.
	A copy of the script used by the Customer Conversion Centre staff to assist them in helping people who wish to open a Post Office card account is available in the Library.

Benefits

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants have chosen to receive benefits by (a) basic bank account, (b) ordinary bank and building society account and (c) post office card account.

Malcolm Wicks: As at 18 April, 1,071,072 customers have responded and opted for payment into a bank or building society account.
	We cannot distinguish between existing or basic bank accounts. Many of these people will choose to access their bank account at a Post Office branch.
	The total number of customers requesting post office card accounts is 203,404.

Benefits

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for an exceptions service to assist people with disabilities to receive their benefits following the introduction of direct ACT payments; what the timetable is for introduction of such a service; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Answer I gave the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Paul Burstow) on 1 April 2003, Official Report, column 606W.

Benefits

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to allow casual agents to collect benefits on behalf of elderly and disabled claimants following the introduction of direct ACT payment of benefits.

Malcolm Wicks: The current system which allows "casual agents" to collect money on behalf of the customer is one of the reasons order books and girocheques are so prone to fraud.
	There are arrangements in place to allow regular carers/helpers to access money paid to customers. There are no corresponding arrangements in place for those customers with no regular carer/helper and we are looking to find the best way to meet the needs of these people.
	Where people need help to collect their money they will, for the meantime, be allowed to keep their order book. We will monitor how the new arrangements work in practice to see how many people are affected and what their precise circumstances are.
	For many people payment into a bank account, where a cheque book facility is available, could offer a more effective way of obtaining their entitlements: for example the customer could simply write the "casual agent" a cheque rather than require them to attend a post office on their behalf.

Benefits

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the consequences are to a claimant of failure to respond to correspondence concerning direct payment of benefits by ACT; how many claimants have failed to respond; what consequences have followed such failures; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department is contacting 13.5 million customers over a two-year period, providing them with information (including letters and leaflets) which clearly sets out the account options as part of the move to Direct Payment. 87 per cent. of our customers currently have access to an account suitable for Direct Payment.
	Responses as at 18 April are very good but we recognise that we may need to contact some people more than once. 37.8 per cent. (782,543 customers) of invited customers have not yet responded, but we expect the overwhelming majority will do so following further contact.
	Direct Payment is now the normal method of paying benefits and pensions. Over the next two years order books will be phased out. From 2005 they will no longer be an option so customers will normally have to be paid by Direct Payment.

Benefits

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps have to be taken by (a) a claimant, (b) the Post Office and (c) his Department in order for a claimant to receive benefits through a Post Office card account.

Malcolm Wicks: The process for opening the Post Office card account is relatively straightforward and no more complicated than opening any new bank account.
	Customers do not need to take any action to change to Direct Payment until the Department contacts them. Once they receive a letter from us and they want information about the Post Office card account they are asked to contact the Department. This will ensure they have considered all their options and have the information they need to choose the account that best suits their needs. If the customer chooses to opt for a Post Office card account, the next stage is to issue them with a letter inviting them to apply for a card account, this is known as the Personal Invitation Document (PID).
	Customers take the PID to their local Post Office branch where they will fill in a Post Office card account application form. The application form sets out the documentation that customers will need to open a Post Office card account.

Child Support

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cumulative amount is of unpaid child support owed to parents with care.

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Selous, dated 6 May 2003
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You ask what the total cumulative amount is of unpaid child support owed to parents with care.
	The Agency accounts to 31 March 2002 show a total cumulative debt of £1.447 billion arising on full maintenance assessments which the Agency has made (Page 74 para 6.1 of the Child Support Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2001/02). I am unable to indicate what part of this may be due to the parent with care and what part to the Secretary of State.

Child Support

Liz Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place a copy of the Child Support Agency's Enforcement Guide in the Library.

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Liz Blackman, dated 6 May 2003
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You ask if we will place a copy of the Child Support Agency's Enforcement Guide in the Library.
	I am happy to confirm that a copy of the Agency's Enforcement Guide, which is currently being produced and is expected to be published late summer, will be placed in the Library.

Crabbe Yard, Wadborough

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will ask the Health and Safety Executive to examine the operation of Crabbe Yard, Wadborough, Worcestershire.

Nick Brown: The HSE has procedures to investigate specific concerns about work related health and safety matters in proportion to the seriousness of the issue.
	The HSE visited the site at Crabbe Yard, Wadborough, on two occasions during 2000. Following the visits an improvement notice was issued and subsequently complied with.
	HSE has not visited the site since 3 August 2000.
	If the hon. Member has new concerns about Crabbe Yard he should raise them, in the first instance, with the HSE, an independent government agency.

Disability Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received about the Disability Discrimination (Blind and Partially Sighted Persons) Regulations.

Maria Eagle: Copies of the draft Regulations were circulated to a number of organisations for comment prior to being laid. Responses were received from the Disability Rights Commission, the Royal National Institute for the Blind, and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, all of whom welcomed the Regulations.

Energy Efficiency

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement, in relation to his Department and each agency and non-departmental public body for which his Department is responsible, on (a) the amount of energy consumed, (b) spending on (i) energy and (ii) energy efficiency measures (c) the amount saved through energy efficiency measures and (d) energy policy in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is in the table.
	
		
			  Energy consumption (GWh/y) Energy expenditure (£M/y) Energy/m2(KWh/m2/y) Savings over 1997–8 (Per cent.) Energy efficiency spend (£k/y) 
		
		
			 1997–98 739.40 7.94 314.94 — — 
			 1998–99 667.56 7.39 300.44 10 — 
			 1999–2000 705.41 7.18 310.96 5 — 
			 2000–01 665.86 6.29 277.53 10 — 
			 2001–02 694.31 6.82 289.14 6 — 
		
	
	Notes:
	Energy Consumption: this is weather-corrected in the usual manner, using annual degree days relative to the 20 year average for 1990–91. The figures are those reported on for the Central Government Estate campaign, and generally include each department's main estate plus all agencies, but not NDPBs.
	Energy Expenditure: this is actual spend, and from April 2001, includes the Climate Change Levy.
	Energy/m2: this variable allows for changes in both weather and estate size on energy consumption. So annual changes will generally reflect efficiency changes.
	Savings over 1997–98: These have been expressed as percentage savings relative to the first year quoted here, and are based on the figures in the preceding column.
	Energy efficiency spend: Investment in energy efficiency measures is made by the Departments Estates Partners; as such we are unable to include details of expenditure for commercial reasons. A number of investment scheme projects were initiated during 2002, which are currently being rolled out across the whole estate.
	The Energy White Paper, Our Energy Future-Creating a Low Carbon Economy made clear the importance the Government attach to improving energy efficiency in their own estate. This is reflected in several targets. There is currently an interim target of a 1 per cent. pa ongoing reduction in weather-corrected carbon emissions, pending the development of new indicators and targets based on benchmaking the performance of each Department's largest buildings. These new targets are planned to be in place later this year. New targets for Government Departmnets' use of CHP generated electricity will also be established during 2003.
	In addition, the review of Government procurement has identified areas where procurement could reinforce the achievement of these targets, and arrangements are being made centrally for Departments to purchase goods with high energy efficiency standards and which provide good value for money.
	On the purchase of renewable electricity, ministers agreed the following target in May 2001:
	"All departments will ensure that by 31 March 2003, at least 5 per cent. of their electricity comes from renewable sources that are exempt from the Climate Change Levy or from self generation, provided this does not entail excessive cost. This will rise to at least 10 per cent. supply from such sources by 31 March 2008, but will be reviewed after 31 March 2003 to take account of market conditions following the introduction of the renewables obligation. The review of 2003 will include consideration of increasing or bringing forward the target".
	DWP currently has 17.5 per cent. of its total electricity supplied from renewable resources.

Hazardous Installations Directorate

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Health and Safety inspectors are being transferred from the Field Operations Directorate to the Hazardous Installations Directorate.

Nick Brown: holding answer 1 May 2003
	Three Health and Safety Inspectors transferred on 1 April 2003 with a further 13 to transfer in the near future.

Health and Safety Executive

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many businesses recorded contacts carried out by the Health and Safety Executive since 1997 were made (a) on site and (b) through telephone calls.

Nick Brown: holding answer 1 May 2003
	The total number of regulatory contacts since 1997–98 is shown in the table. HSE does not record separately the numbers of contacts made (a) on site and (b) through telephone calls.
	
		Regulatory contacts
		
			  
		
		
			 1997–98 186,000 
			 1998–99 183,000 
			 1999–2000 185,496 
			 2000–01 192,693 
			 2001–02 195,695

Health and Safety Executive

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many contacts the Health and Safety Executive has had with businesses each year since 1997; what proportion of visits were made by fully qualified warrant-carrying health and safety inspectors; and how many were carried out by workplace contact officers.

Nick Brown: holding answer 1 May 2003
	The total number of regulatory contacts since 1997–98 is shown in the table. It is not possible without disproportionate effort to distinguish between contacts made by fully qualified warrant-carrying health and safety inspectors and those made by workplace contact officers.
	
		Regulatory contacts
		
			  
		
		
			 1997–98 186,000 
			 1998–99 183,000 
			 1999–2000 185,496 
			 2000–01 192,693 
			 2001–02 195,695

Health and Safety Executive

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many workplace contact officers were employed by the Health and Safety Executive in each year since 1997.

Nick Brown: holding answer 1 May 2003
	In each of the years 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01 the Health and Safety Executive's Field Operations Directorate (FOD) deployed approximately 24 staff-years/year to workplace contact officer (WCO) work. In 2001–02 and 2002–03 respectively an additional six and eight Railway Inspectorate Contact Officers (RICOs) were deployed in HM Railway Inspectorate (HMRI), making a total for HSE in those years of around 30 and 32 staff-years.

Health and Safety Executive

Marion Roe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will instruct the Health and Safety Executive to take early steps to ensure that contractors and sub-contractors have employer's liability insurance.

Nick Brown: holding answer 1 May 2003
	Yes. Employers (with some exceptions such as public organisations and family businesses) are required by law to insure against injury or disease to their employees arising out of their employment.
	The Health and Safety Executive has enforcement responsibility for employer's liability insurance and will carry out their duties in line with current procedures.

Invalid Care Allowance

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claims for invalid care allowance he has received in each of the last 24 months; and how many of these have been (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful, broken down by applicants (i) over and (ii) under state pension age; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
	
		Carer's Allowance (CA)(1): numbers of claims received and decided in Great Britain, and their outcome, in each quarter(2) from April 2001
		
			   Claims Received(3)  Claims Decided 
			 Quarter to end ofSuccessful(3) Unsuccessful(4) 
		
		
			  
			  
			 June 2001(5)  37,765  32,205 11,775 
			   
			  Over StatePension age Under StatePension age Over StatePension age Under StatePension age  
			  
			 September 2001 3,160 31,820 1,595 28,560 11,965 
			 December 2001 2,525 29,510 1,405 26,110 11,415 
			 March 2002 2,930 32,615 1,655 28,910 12,120 
			 June 2002 3,090 32,640 1,535 26,725 (6)— 
			 September 2002 5,485 33,510 5,260 29,685 12,530 
			 December 2002 (7)15,695 31,505 (7)13,990 29,490 12,515 
		
	
	Notes:
	(1) Invalid care allowance (ICA) was renamed carer's allowance (CA) on 1 April 2003.
	(2) Figures are not available on a monthly basis. The figures given in the table are for the end of each quarter and are rounded to the nearest 5.
	(3) Figures for 'claims received' refer to numbers of people making claims, as input to CACS in that quarter. Figures for 'successful' claims refer to numbers of awards of entitlement, including cases where payment is not made because of the operation of the overlapping benefits regulations (although people in these circumstances may qualify for the carer premium in the income-related benefits). The date of input of a successful claim may fall in a later quarter than that in which the claim was received or from which entitlement to the allowance started.
	(4) A person may make more than one claim and have more than one award, and these may be input on the CACS in different quarters. Therefore, the difference between the figures for the numbers of people from whom a claim is received and the figures for the numbers of awards in successful claims will not equate to the figures for the numbers of unsuccessful claims.
	(5) Separate figures for people over and under pension age are not available for the quarter to the end of June 2001.
	(6) Reliable data is not available for 'unsuccessful' claims for the quarter to the end of June 2002.
	(7) State Pension age is age 60 for women and age 65 for men. The upper age limit, which precluded claims to CA by people aged 65 and over, was removed on 28 October 2002.
	Source:
	100 per cent data from the CA Computer System (CACS) supplied by Information
	Analysis Division.

Job Vacancies

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what work has been completed since 1997 on redefining the ratio between the number of job centre vacancies and the total number of vacancies in the economy, and the extent to which this ratio varies in different areas across the country.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Frank Field, dated 6 May 2003
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on what work has been completed since 1997 on redefining the ratio between the number of Jobcentre vacancies and the total number of vacancies in the economy and the extent to which this ratio varies in different areas across the country. I am replying in his absence. (110685)
	Direct comparisons between Jobcentre vacancies and estimated totals of vacancies in the economy are not presently possible, as the numbers of unfilled vacancies at Jobcentres have not been published since April 2001. This is because of distortions to the data which occurred as a result of the introduction of the 'Employer Direct' initiative by Jobcentre Plus which altered the method of dealing with notified vacancies. Nevertheless, the ratio between the Jobcentre vacancies and the number of vacancies in the economy has been investigated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) as part of an assessment last year of estimates of the total number of vacancies from a new survey of job vacancies now being published monthly on an experimental basis. The assessment included a review of information available from previous occasional surveys conducted on behalf of Jobcentre Plus.
	Details of the ONS survey and the assessment were published in an article 'A new survey of job vacancies' in the October 2002 issue of Labour Market Trends (pages 535 to 548). On the basis of the pilot of a question on notified vacancies included in the survey, this concluded that the proportion of all vacancies notified to Jobcentres, as reported by employers, was likely to be in the range of around a third to around a half. There is no information currently available on the extent to which the proportion varies in different parts of the country.

Jobcentre Plus

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what account is taken, when decisions are made to close or reduce services at JobCentre Plus offices, of views of (a) customers of the office concerned and (b) the wider community; how those views are ascertained; what account is taken of public transport availability to the proposed alternative; what is considered to be a reasonable (i) travel time and (ii) travel cost to be met by the customer referred to a different office of JobCentre Plus; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: holding answer 9 April 2003
	The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Acting Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, Clare Dodgson. She will write to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from Clare Dodgson to Andrew Dismore, dated April 2003
	As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, I have been asked to reply to your question concerning how we take the views of our customers into account when decisions are made to change our services, and what consideration we give to accessibility by public transport. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of the Agency.
	In creating a network of about 1000 sites we are increasing the access and availability of our services to people who use only ex-Benefits Agency sites, and reducing the need for other customers to visit both a Jobcentre and a social security office. Our current arrangements for undertaking home visits and permitting certain individuals to sign by post still apply.
	The introduction of advanced telephony and modern IT. equipment is enabling us to provide new ways of accessing our services. To make a claim for a Jobcentre Plus benefit the customer contacts us on a local rate phone number. Personal details are taken, forms are posted out and an appointment with a Personal Adviser is arranged. Providing access to job vacancies by telephone and the Internet also enables customers to access our services at a time and from a location of their choice.
	Jobcentre Plus District Managers have many criteria to consider when they are planning the location of sites and the delivery of services in their areas. In particular they consider the availability of public transport, travel time and cost. The availability and cost of public transport varies widely across the country, so it is not possible to be prescriptive. Planning for the implementation of Jobcentre Plus is a local process designed to meet the needs of local communities, with decisions best being made by local managers. This means that many different and specific factors can be considered at that level.
	With regard to travel time, we have asked District Managers to ensure that, as far as possible, customers will not have to travel for an unreasonable amount of time as a result of closing an existing office. Careful account is taken of population size and spread, where people are located, and many other factors, to ensure that we agree the best location for our new offices.
	In our early planning for each JobCentre Plus district we are sharing our proposals for service delivery with a wide variety of people and organisations. While these are determined by local management they will include, for example, local MP's, Local Authorities, service delivery partners, employers' representatives, Citizens Advice Bureaux, welfare rights organisations, other Government Agencies, Health Authorities, Housing Associations, our staff and trade union representatives. After views and comments have been taken on board District Managers then share the finally agreed plans with the people and groups described above.
	We do survey our customers to find out their opinions of the service that we provide. This information is used to improve that service. It is not however practical or possible to consult all our customers and potential customers about major changes to our service, including possible office closures.
	For districts introducing the new service in 2002/03 the main communications exercises took place between June and September, and we were pleased to receivecomments and views on many aspects of our plans. We have taken account of those views, changed our plans where appropriate and responded to those who contacted us.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobcentre Plus

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the recent dismissal of 600 employees from local jobcentres and social security offices in London;
	(2)  what the basis is upon which the headcount target of staff working in jobcentres and social security offices in London has been calculated.

Nick Brown: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, Clare Dodgson. She will write to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from Clare Dodgson to Mr. John McDonnell, dated April 2003
	As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, I have been asked to reply to your question concerning the reduction of staff numbers in Jobcentre Plus, London Region. This falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of the Agency.
	The national roll-out of Jobcentre Plus is bringing together the old separate Jobcentres and Benefit Offices to form our new integrated offices, which will provide both services in one place. Staff movement between different roles is an ongoing feature of the development of this new service.
	Jobcentre Plus is contributing to the wider DWP modernisation and efficiency agenda and the workforce planning levels agreed for Jobcentre Plus in London form part of this. The allocation of resource budgets within Jobcentre Plus is linked to expected workloads and performance targets. Each Region, including London, has a share of the total Jobcentre Plus performance target. The headcount target for London region, like all regions, is based on this.
	Between April 2002 and February 2003, Jobcentre Plus London region reduced its permanent staffing by 668 in line with workforce efficiency plans. This was achieved through a combination of staff moving to The Pension Service, other parts of the Department for Work and Pensions, other Government Departments or through natural wastage. In reaching the reduction in staffing figures, no permanent members of staff were dismissed or made redundant.
	A number of meetings, at both Regional and District level, have taken place with union representatives since last summer about this matter. These meetings have also been supplemented by ongoing correspondence. Headcount target figures were shared with PCS Regional colleagues in September and a discussion on measures required to manage towards those workforce numbers took place at a meeting on 25 September 2002. More recently, a meeting took place in January 2003 and was followed up by detailed letters, with a further meeting taking place in February 2003.
	In managing our target headcount level in London 350 temporary staff were released prior to the end of the 2002/03 operational year. Where operational needs were identified, 250 temporary staff were retained in London Region Jobcentres and Social Security Offices after 31 March 2003.
	The radical modernisation of our services as part of the Jobcentre Plus rollout will inevitably lead to some disruption. However, we are managing these changes to minimise any negative impact on the delivery of our services to customers.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance there are, broken down by the principal occupation code of those seeking work.

Nick Brown: The latest information available has been placed in the Library.

Lone Parents

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents in Hendon (a) have agreed to participate in New Deal for Lone Parents, (b) have declined to participate in New Deal for Lone Parents and (c) have gained employment through New Deal for Lone Parents; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: The New Deal for Lone Parents is a voluntary programme open to any lone parent who is working for less than 16 hours a week, to help them overcome the problems they face when trying to find work.
	In Hendon since the start of the New Deal for Lone Parents, of the 650 lone parents who have attended an initial interview, 560 have agreed to participate in the programme, and 240 of these participants have already gained employment.

Post Office Cards

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what timetable has been established to implement changes to the Post Office card account PIN pad to improve accessibility for disabled people.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	The Post Office is working to ensure their services are as accessible to as many customers as possible. In the short term the Post Office intends to improve current PIN pads by fitting a guard over the buttons to help guide customers. I understand that this will be done as soon as possible. In the longer term they intend to look at technological options to provide a secure alternative to PIN pads for people with disabilities.
	This is a matter which falls within the day-to-day responsibility of Post Office Ltd. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Regional Policy

Joyce Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress his Department has made towards the aim in the White Paper, Your Region, Your Choice, of assessing the balance of staff between the centre and the regions in terms of effective policy design and implementation; and what examples there have been since the publication of the White Paper of the Department deciding between locating new streams of work (a) in and (b) outside London and the South East.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department for Work and Pensions currently has no single geographical work force strategy addressing staff and work move shifts from London and the South East to the regions. However, local labour market conditions mean that there is less pressure on recruitment and retention away from London.
	Jobcentre Plus already processes London benefit related work at sites at Ashton-in-Makerfield, in north-west Glasgow and Belfast. In moving to centralised processing operations, The Pension Service has decided to locate all 26 Pension Centres outside London and the South East although there will continue to be a Pension Local Service presence in these regions. Some businesses have used centralised processing and contract centres for some time e.g. Child Support Agency Centres and Disability Benefit Centres.
	By the nature of its business (more face to face contact) and customer base, the department, particularly Jobcentre Plus, will continue to have a presence in all large urban areas including London. There are also plans to encourage customers to make greater use of the telephone for their initial contact.
	Around 90 per cent. of DWP staff work in delivery businesses while 10 per cent. are in headquarters working on a range of policy and support functions. The highest concentration of headquarters staff, 30 per cent., is in the Yorkshire and Humber region followed by the North West region (26 per cent.), London (16 per cent.) and the North West (14 per cent.).
	Information on the distribution of DWP staff between Government Office Regions and function is in the following table:
	
		
			 Government office region Delivery staff Headquarters staff Total staff 
		
		
			 East Midlands 6,490 263 6,753 
			 East Midlands 6,639 129 6,768 
			 London 12,404 2,219 14,623 
			 North East 13,424 1,946 15,370 
			 North West 23,395 3,532 26,927 
			 Scotland 14,683 464 15,147 
			 South East 9,423 133 9,556 
			 South West 8,511 186 8.697 
			 Wales 7,230 340 7,570 
			 West Midlands 11,613 420 12,033 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 10,394 4,071 14,465 
			 Total 124,206 13,703 137,909 
		
	
	Note
	Numbers are point in time as at 31 January 2003.
	Numbers are expressed as staff in post (headcount) and are consistent with Cabinet Office definitions other than the inclusion of staff on paid maternity leave.

Staff Union Duties

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies receive paid leave to undertake union duties; how many days they are allocated; and what has been the cost to public funds in 2002.

Maria Eagle: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available for the financial year 2002–03, is in the table:
	
		Department for Work and Pensions
		
			 Agency/Body Full-time post allocation(8) Approximate costs(9) (£)  
		
		
			 Corporate Centre 15.94 331.000 
			 Jobcentre Plus 240.76 4,998,800 
			 The Pension Service 8 166,100 
			 Child Support Agency 28.5 591,700 
			 Other 21.25 441,200 
			 Total 314,45 6528,800 
		
	
	(8) This is not necessarily equivalent to the number of union officials because some officials are part time and some union posts are not filled.
	(9) The figures rounded to the nearest one hundred pounds, have been calculated using average, not actual, salaries.

Travel-to-work Areas

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how travel to work areas are defined; and what changes have been made in this definition since 1979.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Frank Field, dated 6 May 2003
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on the definition of Travel to Work Areas (TTWAs) and the changes in this definition since 1979. I am replying in his absence. (110686)
	The current criteria for defining TTWAs are that at least 75 per cent. of the area's resident workforce must work in the area and at least 75 per cent. of the people who work in the area must also live in the area. The area must also have a working population of at least 3,500. For areas with a working population in excess of 20,000, the self-containment rate is reduced to 70 per cent. TTWA boundaries must be non-overlapping and contiguous, covering the entire United Kingdom. TTWAs do not cross national boundaries.
	TTWAs are produced by analysing commuting flows from the decennial Census of Population. The current geography, based on the 1991 Census, was published in May 1998. A report of this exercise, entitled "1991-based Travel-to-Work Areas", is held in the House of Commons Library. Prior to May 1998, the TTWAs were based on the 1981 Census and were published in September 1984; they were created using the current methods.
	The TTWA geography in existence in 1979, based on the 1971 Census, was published in July 1978. While this map was also based on a self-containment rate of 75 per cent. there were several methodological changes introduced for the 1984 map. These improvements to the precision and robustness of the map were made possible by the introduction of computers and postcoded data. More details are available in an article in an Occasional Supplement to the Employment Gazette 92 (9), which is also available from the House of Commons Library.
	The 1979 TTWA map was defined in terms of Employment Office (Jobcentre) areas. Since the TTWA map based on the 1981 Census, the definition has been by aggregations of wards.
	ONS are currently investigating the usage and potential demand for an update to the TTWA geography based on data from the 2001 Census.
	There have been significant changes to the availability of local area data since the last update. Professor Coombes of Newcastle University was commissioned to write a report on this and some of the data issues that affect the 2001 Census.

Travel-to-work Areas

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) unemployed claimants and (b) unfilled vacancies there are in each travel to work area; and if he will express these data as an employment to vacancy ratio.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Frank Field, dated 6 May 2003
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question regarding the number of unemployed claimants and unfilled vacancies for each travel-to-work-area. I am replying in his absence. (110762)
	I am placing in the House of Commons Library tables showing the claimant count, that is the numbers claiming Jobseeker's Allowance, and data on unfilled vacancies at Jobcentres as requested. Because of distortions to the Jobcentre vacancy data which occurred as a result of the introduction of the 'Employer Direct' initiative by Jobcentre Plus, data on unfilled vacancies have not been published since April 2001. Therefore, I have provided claimant count data for March 2003, the most recent available, as well as data for April 2001 for comparison with the unfilled vacancies. The data are not seasonally adjusted.
	Please note that the Jobcentre data represent only a proportion of vacancies in the economy. The experimental survey of job vacancies, which asks employers for the number of vacancies they have, is not available below national level.

Working Patterns

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures he intends to take to enable people to work longer if they choose.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Central Fife (Mr. MacDougall), on 17 March 2003, Official Report, volume 401, column 599–600W.

PRIME MINISTER

Energy Policy

Tim Yeo: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement, in relation to his Department and each agency and non-departmental public body for which his Department is responsible, on (a) the amount of energy consumed, (b) spending on (i) energy and (ii) energy efficiency measures, (c) the amount saved through energy efficiency measures and (d) energy policy in each of the last five years.

Tony Blair: Information on Downing Street is not available in this format as it forms part of the Cabinet Office estate. I have therefore asked the Minister for the Cabinet Office to reply and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Iraq

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister what contingency preparations he authorised civil servants to make for his resignation before the parliamentary vote on war with Iraq.

Tony Blair: None.

Iraq

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he received, from whom and when, between 1 January and 20 April, regarding the threat of looting of antiquities in Iraq; what his response was; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: holding answer 1 May 2003
	We continue to receive a large number of representations on a wide range of issues concerning Iraq. Some of these have been about looting. The Coalition consulted widely before the commencement of the military campaign on the risks to ancient historical and archaeological sites. We have stressed our commitment to protecting such sites. We want to protect resources for all Iraqis and will take what measures are necessary to do this.
	Experts from the MacDonald Institute of Archaeology, the British Museum and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will be going to Iraq shortly to assist their Iraqi colleagues.

KOMOS

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his reply to the letter from KOMOS of 15 April.

Tony Blair: As far as I am aware, my office has not yet received a letter from KOMOS.

Meetings

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet (a) President George W. Bush, (b) US Secretary of State Colin Powell and (c) Prime Minister John Howard.

Tony Blair: I have no current plans to meet President Bush or Secretary of State Colin Powell before their visit to Europe in late May. I hope to meet Prime Minister Howard tomorrow.

Ministerial Responsibility

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Prime Minister who the Government Minister responsible for co-ordination against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attack is.

Tony Blair: holding answer 1 May 2003
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary gave him in the House on 28 April 2003, Official Report, column 10.

Official Visits

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions since 1 March 2003 on which public expenditure has been incurred on official visits by Mrs. Blair.

Tony Blair: Since 1 March 2003, Mrs. Blair has accompanied me on a visit to Aldershot Garrison and RAF Lyneham on 3 April 2003. No additional expense was incurred on this visit.

Pensions Minister

Steve Webb: To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to appoint a Minister of State for Pensions.

Tony Blair: An announcement will be made at the appropriate time.

Security (Northern Ireland)

David Burnside: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with Sinn Fein on the future use of the home battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment in security duties in Northern Ireland.

Tony Blair: holding answer 1 May 2003
	I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings under exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Special Advisers

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz), 31 March 2003, Official Report, column 526W, on special advisers, for what reason Lord Birt is not listed.

Tony Blair: Lord Birt is an unpaid adviser not a special adviser.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Zimbabwe

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Zimbabwe.

Bill Rammell: We are concerned at the deepening crisis in Zimbabwe and ZANU(PF)'s failure to address the situation. The economy is rapidly deteriorating. Over 7 million people remain dependent on food aid. 159 people were tortured by the security authorities in March alone. We call on the Government of Zimbabwe to end violence and begin a dialogue with the opposition and civil society, as a first step towards restoring good governance, democratic accountability and economic prosperity for the people of Zimbabwe.

Middle East

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's attempts to secure a middle east peace settlement.

Mike O'Brien: We continue to support Quartet efforts to bring about the resumption of a meaningful peace process. The Quartet road map represents the best chance for peace in Israel and Palestine, and we expect all parties to respond positively and start implementing it without delay. The UK will continue to do all it can to help.

Middle East

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the role of the UN in building international recognition for political developments in the middle east.

Mike O'Brien: As a member of the Quartet, the UN has a central role in encouraging and supporting developments in the Middle East Peace Process. On 30 April, the Quartet presented to Prime Ministers Sharon and Abbas its road map to a two-state solution. The UN, along with other Quartet members, will verify the parties' implementation of the roadmap. United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242, 338 and 1397 remain the internationally agreed basis for a settlement.

Middle East

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the US Administration on progress towards a two state solution for the Israeli and Palestinian people.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary, FCO officials and I are in constant touch with US colleagues on Israel/ Palestine. The UK Government believe that a secure and stable two-state solution, as called for in President Bush's speech of 24 June 2002 and reached through early implementation of the Quartet road map, is the only credible way to deliver to both Israelis and Palestinians the peaceful future they both need.

Middle East

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 14 April 2003, Official Report, column 529W, on the Middle East, whether the Government regard the B'Tselem list as authoritative.

Mike O'Brien: No such list can be completely authoritative. It is difficult to get accurate details of an incident, and the Israeli Government does not always confirm its involvement in targeted killings. However, B'Tselem is a reputable human rights organisation and we believe the list under question is useful if only as a guide.

Iraq

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of the United States of America on safeguarding Iraq's archaeological heritage in the course of war.

Mike O'Brien: This is one of the many issues on Iraq that I have discussed with the US Government.
	Coalition commanders took great pains in the planning and conduct of the campaign in Iraq to protect Iraq's archaeological and cultural and religious heritage.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage reform of the Iraqi criminal justice system in line with international human rights standards.

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to encourage reform of the Iraqi criminal justice system in line with international human rights standards.

Mike O'Brien: Security and stability in Iraq continue to be the priority, to provide the platform to deliver humanitarian relief. An ORHA team is currently in Iraq to review options for a new judicial system. The aim must be to help raise the standards of justice in Iraq to meet international standards of human rights. It will of course be for a properly constituted Iraqi authority to undertake substantive reform of the Iraqi justice system.

Iraq

Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the involvement of Mr. Ahmed Chalabi in the post-war government in Iraq.

Mike O'Brien: Chalabi is a prominent opposition figure. It is therefore only appropriate that the group he represents should be able to play a role in Iraq's future. But that role is for the people of Iraq to determine.

Iraq

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what timetable he proposes for the establishment of a new government in Iraq; and when he expects elections will take place for a new government.

Mike O'Brien: The role of the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) is helping to facilitate the creation of a democratic process in Iraq. A series of meetings (which began in Nasiriyah and Baghdad) will draw together Iraqi consensus from a broad range of opinion. The aim is to help establish an Iraqi Interim Authority in four weeks time. It is too early to predict when elections can be held and Iraqi self-governance attained.

Iraq

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what oil revenues are being held by the United Nations in a trust for the people of Iraq.

Mike O'Brien: There is currently no UN trust fund holding oil revenues for the people of Iraq. However, under the Oil For Food programme all revenues from Iraqi oil exports are held in UN escrow accounts. 72 per cent. of these revenues fund humanitarian supplies to Iraq, 25 per cent. go into a fund to pay compensation to victims of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and 3 per cent. pay for operating costs.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place about debt-restructuring in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	Finance Ministers at the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) meeting asked the Paris Club of official creditors to engage on Iraq's debt. This engagement has commenced with Paris Club creditors carrying out a data call to provide a comprehensive assessment of Iraq's indebtedness to them.
	The UK Government have made it clear that they are seeking a fair and sustainable solution to Iraq's debt problems.

North Korea

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to visit North Korea to discuss its nuclear weapon programme.

Bill Rammell: There are no plans for a British Minister to visit North Korea.

India/Pakistan

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with representatives of the Governments of Pakistan and India on monitoring by the United Nations of alleged border incursions and terrorism.

Mike O'Brien: The specific issue of UN monitoring has not arisen in my right hon. Friend's recent contacts with Indian and Pakistani representatives. We believe that outstanding differences between those two countries, including Kashmir, will be found through a sustained political process between India and Pakistan. Our role, like that of those who wish them well, is that we stand ready, where we can, to help India and Pakistan start and pursue such a process. In this respect we welcome the encouraging news of a resumption of direct political contact between India and Pakistan, with the telephone call on 28 April between Pakistani Prime Minister Jamali and Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee. We are encouraging both sides to build on the important change in atmospherics which this represents.

United Nations

Clive Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held on reform of UN processes for dealing with states where major human rights abuses occur.

Bill Rammell: When I attended the UN Commission on Human Rights on 19 March, I discussed the need to enhance the effectiveness of the UN human rights mechanisms with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and representatives of a number of countries.

United Nations

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking alongside the United States, Germany and France to strengthen the United Nations, following the war with Iraq.

Bill Rammell: We continue to work in the Security Council with the United States, France, Germany and other partners on a wide range of issues concerning international peace and security. We are discussing with them the UN's role in Iraq following the Coalition's military action.
	We remain committed to enlarging the membership of the Security Council so that it better represents the modern world. We are also working on the wider UN reform agenda to ensure that the organisation can more effectively fulfil the tasks entrusted to it by the international community.

United Nations

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Government has held with other members of the United Nations regarding the (a) future constitution and (b) structure of government for Iraq.

Mike O'Brien: Questions regarding the future constitution and structure of government for Iraq is for the Iraqi people to decide. The Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance is helping the democratic process, through facilitating Iraqi consensus towards the creation of an Iraqi Interim Authority and eventual constitutional self-governance. Iraq's democratic future belongs to the Iraqis. We continue to be in contact with many countries including members of the UN Security Council about various aspects of our policy on Iraq.

Iran

Jim Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of Iran concerning the middle east peace process.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the Middle East Peace Process in a telephone conversation with the Iranian Foreign Minister Mr. Kharrazi on 30 March. I also raised the issue with the Foreign Minister and Mohsen Mirdamadi, Chairman of the Majles Security and Foreign Policy Committee, when I visited Iran on 13 April. We urge the Iranians to cease support for rejectionist groups, in particular those responsible for suicide bombings in Israel, and to use their influence in support of a two-state solution. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the Middle East Peace Process in a telephone conversation with the Iranian Foreign Minister Mr Kharrazi on 30 March. I also raised the issue with the Foreign Minister and Mohsen Mirdamadi, Chairman of the Majles Security and Foreign Policy Committee, when I visited Iran on 13 April. We urge the Iranians to cease support for rejectionist groups, in particular those responsible for suicide bombings in Israel, and to use their influence in support of a two-state solution.

Iran

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on UK-Iran relations.

Mike O'Brien: Through critical engagement, the UK seeks to apply a twin-track approach in respect of Iran. We support reform in Iran while maintaining a robust dialogue on matters of concern such as human rights and weapons of mass destruction.

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to address the issue of age discrimination.

Mike O'Brien: The issue of age discrimination is included in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Equal Opportunity polices and is taken into account when we monitor appraisals recruitment and promotions. We have given staff in bands A to D more flexibility over the age at which they retire, as recommended by the Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit report, Winning the Generation Game (2000).
	We are also examining our age profile, as part of our Human Resources Planning, to ensure it reflects the working population.

Anglo/US Discussions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the US Administration regarding the future development of NATO.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has regular discussions on the future development of NATO with the US and with other NATO Allies.
	At the Prague Summit in November 2002, NATO Heads of State and Government took decisions to transform the Alliance to meet the new threats and security challenges of the 21st Century. To do this, NATO must develop new military capabilities to meet these new threats, streamline NATO command structures and have flexible Allied forces able to move quickly to wherever they are needed.
	NATO decided on 16 April 2003 to offer increased support to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. NATO already plays a significant planning role in support of the existing ISAF force. This substantially enhanced support is a logical continuation of this process and evidence of NATO's continued adaptation to the evolving security agenda.
	Foreign Ministers will be meeting in Madrid on 3–4 June for the NATO Spring Ministerials. This will be an important opportunity to review progress since Prague.

China, Israel and Pakistan

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government has for dealing with weapons of mass destruction, abuses of human rights and breach of United Nations resolutions in (a) China, (b) Israel and (c) Pakistan; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Government are regularly engaged in discussion with the Governments of China, Israel and Pakistan on a range of issues including WMD, Human Rights and obligations under UN Security Council Resolutions.
	We continue to press all states to sign and ratify the various non-proliferation treaties, to accede to the core human rights conventions and to meet all obligations placed upon them by Resolutions of the UN Security Council.

Cuba

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on (a) the recent imprisonment of pro-democracy campaigners in Cuba, (b) the state of negotiations regarding Cuban membership on the Cotonou pact and (c) the recent comments of the European Commission Chargé d'affaires in Havana, that his office has responsibility for political relations with Cuba.

Mike O'Brien: We strongly condemn the unjust arrests, summary trials and harsh sentencing of citizens peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of opinion and expression in Cuba, and urge the Government of Cuba to release them. EU partners will discuss Cuba's application to join Cotonou once the Commission's technical analysis is complete; recent events will undoubtedly have an impact on these discussions. We hope the newly appointed EU Commission Representative in Havana will play a full part in the EU's relationship with all sectors of Cuban society. Under the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, primary responsibility for the EU's political dialogue with third countries lies with member states.

Democratisation

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's budget is for assistance in building democracy in post-conflict situations.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 1 May 2003
	Democracy building is not accounted for as a distinct FCO budget line. The FCO funds democracy building activity in a variety of ways. In 2003–04 the Global Conflict Prevention Pool (£74 million—managed jointly with MOD and DFID), Human Rights Project Fund (£7 million), and various bilateral programmes all contain elements of democracy building. In addition the FCO will fund the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (£4.1million) which promotes democracy world-wide and the British Council which will spend £12.1million on governance, which includes democracy building. Furthermore, the FCO works in partnership with DfID and MOD as part of the Africa Conflict Prevention Pool (£50 million) which seeks to address the peace and security challenges in Africa—a prerequisite for democracy. Some of the new Global Opportunities Fund will also be used for some democracy building work. Identifying the post conflict democracy building activities within these programmes could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.

EU Committees

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EEC-Russia Co-operation Committee, the number of times and the dates on which it has met since January 2002, the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, the decisions it has made since January 2002 and the means used to communicate these decisions to the House.

Denis MacShane: The EU Russia Co-operation Committee meets at senior official level in Troika format (ie the EU is represented by the Presidency, Commission and Council Secretariat). The remaining 14 European Union member states contribute to the detailed preparation of the Committee and are able to observe the formal session. Since 17 April 2003, delegates from the 10 EU accession states are also entitled to attend most EU committees, including the EU-Russia Co-operation Committee, as observers. The EU-Russia Co-operation Committee normally meets once a year to discuss areas of policy which come under the framework of the EU's Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA) with Russia. It last met in October 2002.
	Decisions made by the committee of direct significance for the UK are submitted to Parliament under established scrutiny procedures and are considered and reported on by the House of Lords European Union Committee, the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee, and the devolved Administrations in Wales and Scotland.

EU Committees

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list (a) the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU committee on implementation of the programme of assistance to promote the transition to a market economy and to strengthen democracy and the rule of law in the partner states of eastern Europe and Central Asia (TACIS), (b) the number of times and the dates on which it has met since January 2002, (c) the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, (d) the decisions it has made since January 2002 and (e) the means used to communicate the decisions to the House.

Denis MacShane: The EU TACIS Management Committee meets at senior official level, is chaired by the commission, and attended by the 15 member states. Since 17 April 2003, delegates from the 10 EU accession states are also entitled to attend most EU committees, including the EU TACIS Management Committee, as observers. The UK is represented on the Committee by officials from the Department for International Development, and by members of staff of the United Kingdom Representation in Brussels.
	The TACIS Management Committee meets as often as is necessary to exercise oversight of the EC programme of technical assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States (TACIS). It has met eight times since January 2002, with the most recent meeting taking place on 23 April 2003.
	Decisions made by the committee of direct significance for the UK are submitted to Parliament under established scrutiny procedures and are considered and reported on by the House of Lords European Union Committee, the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee, and the devolved Administrations in Wales and Scotland.

European Constitution

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of the Government towards the proposal laid down in the proposed European Constitution that Europe should be governed on a federal basis.

Denis MacShane: The Government consider the proposal made by the Praesidium of the Convention on the Future of Europe that
	"the Union ... shall administer certain common competences on a federal basis" to be misleading. It has therefore proposed that the words on a federal basis" be replaced by
	"shall co-ordinate certain policies at a European level to achieve goals that they cannot achieve on their own". EU member states will discuss the convention's outcome in an Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) before taking final decisions on it by unanimity.

European Constitution

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of the Government towards the proposal laid down in the proposed European Constitution stating that the European Union should have a legal personality.

Denis MacShane: The explicit grant of legal personality to the European Union would have the advantage of clarity and simplicity. But the Government would only accept it on the basis that the distinct arrangements for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and aspects of Justice and Home Affairs were fully safeguarded, along with the existing arrangements for representation in international bodies.

European Constitution

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of the Government towards the proposal laid down in the proposed European Constitution stating that the member states may accede to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Denis MacShane: All European Union member states are already party to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR).

European Constitution

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of the Government towards the proposal laid down in the proposed European Constitution with regard to the creation of citizenship of the Union.

Denis MacShane: EU citizenship was established by the Treaty on European Union. The provisions governing Union citizenship are contained in Part Two of the Treaty establishing the European Community. It is expressly stated that the EU citizenship conferred upon persons holding the nationality of a member state shall
	"complement and not replace national citizenship". The draft Constitutional Treaty being debated by the Convention on the Future of Europe sets out similar provisions. The Government support this policy.

India (Tamil Nadu Ordinance)

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what representations he has made on the impact of religious freedom of the Tamil Nadu ordinance on movement within the state; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what reports he has received on the impact on the Dalit people in India of the ordinance relating to movement in the state passed by the Tamil Nadu State Government; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Since the Tamil Nadu Ordinance on Religious Conversions was passed into law on 2 December 2002, some observers in the state have noted a general fall in the number of public conversions there, but we have not been able to corroborate this. The law's effects on Tamil Nadu's Dalit population are also as yet unclear. We are not aware of any cases that have yet been brought to court under the law's provisions.
	Although the impact of this law is not yet clear, we are concerned that this legislation might in practice discourage Tamil Nadu's citizens from adopting the religion of their choice. Such an effect might limit religious freedoms as outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which India has ratified. We have had no discussions with the Government of India about this legislation. But our Missions in India will continue to monitor closely the implementation of the law, and we will discuss with EU Partners whether any EU action is necessary.

Kuwait

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 1 April 2003, Official Report, column 645W, on Kuwait, which four categories have not been resolved and what were the respective amounts for each category; which two categories have not been resolved; why these have not been resolved; and what amounts are involved.

Mike O'Brien: Of the six categories of claims being dealt with by the UN Compensation Commission (UNCC) four relate to claims by individuals and the other two to claims by corporations, Governments and international organisations. The Governing Council of the UNCC took a decision to prioritise claims made by individuals. Other claims continue to be processed. Full details of all claims, both resolved and outstanding, can be found on the UNCC website: www.unog.ch/uncc.

National Minimum Wage

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the estimated cost is in 2003–04 to his Department, agencies and the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible of the increase in the national minimum wage from £4.20 per hour to £4.50 per hour.

Mike O'Brien: The increase in the national minimum wage from £4.20 per hour to £4.50 per hour will have no cost impact on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2003–04, nor on any of the agencies or non-departmental public bodies for which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible. There are no staff on the minimum wage in the FCO.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to include Dafur within human rights monitoring as part of the Sudan peace process.

Bill Rammell: Human rights provisions of the eventual peace agreement will apply throughout Sudan. The talks have not yet progressed to the stage of agreement on monitoring arrangements.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the inter-tribal conflict in Dafur, Sudan.

Bill Rammell: The situation in Dafur is extremely complex with unresolved inter-Arab disputes and Arab-African ethnic clashes. Previous efforts at mediation have not succeeded. In the near future further conflict may prevent the delivery of humanitarian relief. International staff of international non-Governmental organisations (INGOs) and the UN have been withdrawn and access to Dafur remains difficult.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the demonstrations that have taken place in Dafur, Sudan, on the security situation in the region.

Bill Rammell: We have received reports that a demonstration took place in Geneina on the Chadian border in Dariur on 26 April. Following clashes in the area demonstrators protested at the killings and the failure to arrest those responsible. There were also protests on 26 April against the Sudan Liberation Movement following its attack against the airport in El-Fashir. International staff of International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) and the UN have been withdrawn and access to Dafur remains difficult. Further conflict may prevent the delivery of humanitarian relief.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of the Sudan on the situation in Dafur, Sudan.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development raised the situation in Dafur with the Sudanese First Vice-President on 29 April, during his visit to London. The British Embassy in Khartoum will continue to monitor the situation in Dafur. They are in contact with a wide range of Government and National Congress party officials in addition to Dafur MPs and other local representatives.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the decision of the UN Commission on Human Rights to vote against the extension of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Sudan; and what discussions he has had with the Russian Government on this matter.

Bill Rammell: We were disappointed that the EU sponsored resolution on Sudan was not carried at the UN Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on 16 April. The result of the vote (24 in favour, 26 against and three abstentions) was the first defeat for this resolution in 10 years and means the termination of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, Gerhard Baum.
	At CHR, we and EU partners had extensive discussions on EU initiatives with all CHR members, including Russia.

Syria

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on UK-Syria relations.

Mike O'Brien: The UK remains committed to a policy of constructive and, where necessary, critical engagement with Syria. This allows us to support reform while maintaining a robust dialogue on issues of concern including her attitude to Iraq, support for certain Palestinian rejectionist groups, WMD and human rights.

Western Sahara

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects a referendum to be held on the future of the Western Sahara under UN auspices; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) on 28 April 2003, Official Report, column 133W. The United Kingdom supports fully the efforts of the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) and his Personal Envoy, James Baker, to find a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution to the Western Sahara dispute that provides for self-determination for the people of Western Sahara. In March this year the Security Council asked the UNSG to provide a report on the situation by 19 May, to allow Mr. Baker time to consider the responses of the parties to his proposals. I do not wish to pre-judge the outcome of this process.

DEFENCE

Depleted Uranium

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he has taken to carry out the recommendations of the Royal Society on the clean-up and monitoring of depleted uranium used on battlefield sites.

Adam Ingram: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Fur

Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what animal fur, broken down by species and value, has been purchased by his Department in each of the last 10 years; and what use was made of the fur.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has not purchased any animal fur for use as a raw material in the last 10 years. The MOD does, however, purchase various clothing items which incorporate animal fur as part of their specification. A wide range of clothing products, such as socks and pullovers, incorporate animal fur or wool to an agreed quality standard. There are, however, a limited number of items for which a specific type of fur or wool is included within the specification. These are as follows:
	
		
			 Product/Species Number of products (per annum) 
		
		
			 Busby  
			 Scandinavian Blue Fox 2 (maximum) 
			 Coney (Rabbit) 42 
			 Sheep (Astrakhan) 1 (maximum) 
			 Bearskin  
			 Black Bear 60 
			 Flounce  
			 Black/Black Faced Brown Bear 1 
			 Sheep (Astrakhan) (5 in 20 years) 
			 Saddle Cover  
			 Black Bear 5 
			 Sheep 40 
		
	
	It is not possible to readily identify the value of these animal products as the cost incurred by the MOD is for the finished and complete item, not just the animal component.

Homecoming Parades

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will organise a parade to welcome UK servicemen home from the Persian Gulf.

Adam Ingram: An event for armed forces personnel returning from duty in the Gulf is being considered by the Government. No decision has yet been taken.

Iraq

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what British-made arms and military equipment have been discovered in Iraq since the war began; to which countries these were originally supplied; and what actions he intends to take against countries who have diverted or re-exported arms to Iraq.

Adam Ingram: To date, no British-made military equipment or arms have been reported as having been discovered in Iraq that were supplied since sanctions have been in force. If any United Kingdom equipment were to be found which is proven to have been diverted or re-exported to Iraq in contravention of the UN sanctions regime, appropriate procedures would be followed.

Iraq

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to protect the integrity of Iraq's infrastructure against looting; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Coalition forces take law and order seriously and have been conducting joint patrols with local police. In Basra, several hundred police have now returned to duty and are participating in joint patrols with United Kingdom forces. These measures, supported by local leaders and community effort, have been effective in minimising looting.

Iraq

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what preparations were made to ensure the (a) safety and (b) property of the hospitals from looters in Iraq; and when further action will be taken.

Adam Ingram: Immediately following the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime some looting of equipment and supplies from hospitals in Iraq did take place in some areas before the Coalition forces established a presence and began to secure the facilities. In Basra, the presence of joint patrols between Coalition forces and local police, and the engagement with local leaders and the community has significantly reduced the incidence of looting. Medical supplies and facilities are returning to pre-conflict levels.

Iraq

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the basis on which decisions are taken to return British troops from Iraq.

Adam Ingram: Decisions on the withdrawal or roulement of British units are taken on the basis of a range of considerations, including the requirements of the mission, the capabilities of different units, the length of time for which units have already been deployed and the availability of other units to replace them where necessary.

Joint Rapid Reaction Force

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Government has to undergo a Joint Rapid Reaction Force exercise where participants do not have prior notice; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Joint Rapid Reaction Forces are exercised on a regular basis but we currently have no plans for an exercise in which the participants would have no prior notice. We do, however, arrange at least one Command Post Exercise each year for the Commander Joint Force Operations and his staff, in which they participate without any prior notice. The purpose of these is to exercise the Commander and staff in the planning and execution of a short notice deployment.

Joint Services Group

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many covert human intelligence sources are handled by the Joint Services Group.

Adam Ingram: I am withholding information on covert human intelligence sources under section 1a of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Joint Services Group

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who the head is of the Joint Services Group; and who provides its secretariat.

Adam Ingram: I am withholding the requested information under Exemption 1a (national security) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

OCCAR

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money Britain contributes to each of the OCCAR projects; what proportion this represents of the total costs of each of the projects; and what proportion this represents of the total OCCAR budget.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 1 May 2003
	The Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR) currently manages seven collaborative defence equipment programmes. Of these, the UK participates in the COBRA (Counter Battery Radar) and BOXER (Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle) programmes. The UK does not participate in, nor contribute towards, the other OCCAR programmes, which include the TIGER helicopter, and FSAF, ROLAND and HOT/MILAN missile systems programmes.
	OCCAR's budgeting and accounting is in cash terms. On this basis, the UK's expected monetary contribution to OCCAR for the current phases of the BOXER and COBRA programmes, and our share of these costs is:
	
		
			 Programme UK contribution UK share (percentage) 
		
		
			 BOXER 40 32 
			 COBRA 99 23 
		
	
	These figures relate only to contracts that are currently in place, and cover the UK's expected contribution towards both acquisition costs and OCCAR running costs for the relevant contract phase. OCCAR budgets for subsequent contract phases have still to be established.
	OCCAR programme equipment budgets are calculated individually involving only OCCAR and the national participants concerned. The UK does not therefore have, nor do we need, visibility of all OCCAR's budgets. However, it is intended that OCCAR will produce annual total cost figures that will quantify the overall scale of its operations each year.

RAF Standardisation Exercise

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the result was of the RAF NAR team Standardisation Exercise in Suffolk; and what recommendations have been put forward as a result of this exercise.

Adam Ingram: The RAF NAR team Standardisation Exercise in Suffolk was assessed as satisfactory. A number of recommendations have been made which include aspects of the Public Relations response and the liaison with the emergency services.

Reservists

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Prime Minister's statement of 24 March 2003, Official Report, column 29, which United Kingdom armed forces are being held in reserve and prepared for deployment to the Gulf.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence's two written ministerial statements on Iraq Force Level Adjustments 11 April 2003, Official Report, columns 38–39WS and 30 April 2003, Official Report, columns 15–16WS.

SA80 A2 Rifle

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the performance of the SA80 A2 used by British troops in the recent Iraq conflict.

Adam Ingram: Post operational reporting will provide analysis and an assessment of the performance of equipment deployed on operations in Iraq. It would, therefore, be premature for me to provide a detailed assessment of the performance at this stage. Early indications are, however, that SA80 A2 performed well overall.

Submarines

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the submarines which are not available for deployment, together with the reasons for non-availability in each case.

Adam Ingram: The following submarines are currently not available for deployment:
	
		
			 Submarine Reasons for non-availability 
		
		
			 HMS Talent Upkeep maintenance in dry dock 
			 HMS Trenchant Upkeep maintenance in dry dock 
			 HMS Spartan Conducting post upkeep sea trials 
			 HMS Sceptre Conducting post upkeep sea trials 
			 HMS Superb Undergoing maintenance 
			 HMS Trafalgar Undergoing maintenance 
			 HMS Vanguard Upkeep maintenance in dry dock 
			 HMS Vigilant Undergoing maintenance

BBC Broadcasts (Gulf)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the showing of BBC News coverage to HM forces deployed in the Persian Gulf.

Adam Ingram: The British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) is produced by the Services Sound and Vision Corporation (SSVC) under contract to the Ministry of Defence and provides radio and television services to most locations overseas where significant numbers of British forces are permanently stationed and, subject to practicality, to operational theatres.
	The television channels available to British land-based forces deployed in the Gulf have included two 24-hour BFBS channels, one of which includes: BBC 'Breakfast', BBC 6 o'clock News and, until 26 April, BBC News at 10 o'clock. SSVC also re-broadcasts BBC 'News 24' and 'Sky News' as additional 24-hour news channels. To receive these channels, SSVC has installed a large number of stand alone satellite television systems, initially in Kuwait and more recently in Southern Iraq.
	For the British forces onboard ships equipped with stabilised receiver dishes (eg HMS Ark Royal and HMS Ocean) the fall range of television channels has been available, however many ships do not have this capability and therefore for those with connectivity to the Skynet satellites a single television channel capability has been developed. The programme content is specified by the Royal Navy and has during the past two months included BBC News 24, Sky News and some news programmes from the BFBS channels. RN and RFA ships and submarines without access to the Skynet satellites have not been capable of receiving live television but have been provided with a taped SSVC television service that specifically excludes news programmes due to its non-live nature.
	SSVC is providing two radio channels for the Gulf area: BFBS Radio 1 includes Independent Radio News (IRN) on the hour, plus each weekday the re-broadcast of several BBC Radio 4 and 5 programmes including PM, '6 o'clock News' and 'The World Tonight'. BFBS Radio 2 also re-broadcasts, each weekday, the BBC Radio 4 'Today' programme in addition to the BBC News programmes included within the BFBS Radio 1 schedule.

Warships

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels (a) are and (b) are scheduled to become non-operational because of manpower shortages.

Adam Ingram: There are no Royal Navy or Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels non-operational or scheduled to become non-operational because of manpower shortages. However, a number of vessels are pursuing limited programmes due to the commitment of personnel to fire-fighting duties and training under Operation Fresco.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Democratic Republic of Congo

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment her Department has made of the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Clare Short: Reporting by the UN and other relief agencies continues to show the very serious humanitarian consequences for the civilian population of nearly five years of conflict in DRC and previous mismanagement. DFID is providing substantial help to efforts directed at reducing the suffering of civilians with urgent humanitarian needs in Congo. In the last financial year DFID provided over £11.5 million through the UN agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross (in response to their emergency appeals) and through international NGOs in the areas of health, nutrition, and refugees.
	We stand ready to provide further humanitarian assistance to those most in need: so far this financial year we have already committed £1 million for nutrition and health care projects through international NGOs.

Departmental Responsibilities

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will place in the Library an Organogram of the new structure of responsibilities in her Department.

Clare Short: As requested, I have arranged for a copy of my Department's Organogram to be placed in the Library of both Houses of Parliament.

Ethiopia

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what efforts are being made to ensure the speedy provision of aid through the World Food Programme to combat the recurrent food crisis in Ethiopia.

Clare Short: Our in-country advisers maintain close liaison with World Food Programme (WFP) staff in Ethiopia. We have contributed £19.3 million of aid for Ethiopia through WFP since January 2002, which includes food aid contributions of £15 million in December 2002 and £2 million in March 2003. We are currently satisfied with the speed at which aid has been delivered. For example, our March contribution will be delivered as food to those in need by mid-May.
	We also have a global partnership with WFP, of which the main objective is to improve their institutional capacity worldwide for timely and effective humanitarian responses.

Famine (Africa)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to combat the famine in (a) Ethiopia and (b) Eritrea.

Clare Short: Since the beginning of 2002 we have contributed about £21.6 million in food aid and £16 million for other humanitarian support to Ethiopia. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely. We have also been promoting co-ordination between Government, UN and donors.
	A DFID team visited Eritrea in late January this year. Following this visit we have approved about £2.8 million of humanitarian support for Eritrea.
	In addition to the above humanitarian support that we have provided to Ethiopia and Eritrea, DFID funds about 19 per cent. of EC programmes.
	Food shortages are a factor of rural poverty. Development assistance that we are now providing to Ethiopia should help to reduce the underlying causes. In Eritrea we are still working with the EU to establish the basis for a development partnership, which should also help to achieve a lasting solution.

G8 Development Meeting

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on matters discussed, pledges made and decisions taken at the G8 development Ministers meeting in Paris on 24 April 2003; and if she will place copies of documentation for the meeting in the Library.

Clare Short: Matters discussed were: how to increase official development assistance; the need for better co-ordinated action to secure better water provision for poor people; accelerating the achievement of education and health goals; and what donors could do to support the New Partnership for African Development (NePAD). The meeting was a discussion forum to prepare for the G8 meeting in Evian and no pledges were made and no decisions were taken. A copy of the Chairman's Summary will be placed in the Library.

Illegal Timber Trade

Joan Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment the Government have made of legislation under EU directive 97/2001 on money laundering to tackle proceeds from the illegal timber trade; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment has been made of the use of existing UK legislation to target illegal timber imports, with particular reference to legislation on stolen goods, fraud and forgery; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: The Government have contributed to a study on measures that the EU could take to control illegal logging and trade in illegally sourced timber products. The study indicated that UK's money laundering legislation under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 could be used as a possible measure by which the proceeds of illegal logging entering the UK financial system could be identified and persons involved convicted. However, this would require illegal logging in other countries and associated trade to be defined as criminal offences under UK law.
	The study also indicated that some forms of illegal logging could be targeted under the Theft Act 1968 that applies to goods that have been stolen abroad as well as within the UK. For this to be effective, there must first be a request by a court or prosecuting authority in the country of origin for the suspected stolen goods to be seized and criminal proceedings initiated or a person arrested for the offence. Therefore, using UK legislation in this regard is dependent on the activities of enforcement agencies in the countries of origin of illegal timber. Provided these actions have been taken, sale within the UK of timber known to be illegally sourced may be considered an offence.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the frequency of household waste removal in Baghdad.

Clare Short: Prior to the conflict 2,800 tonnes of refuse were collected in Baghdad each day by a fleet of 480 trucks. We understand that some of these trucks were stolen in the recent looting. Parts of Baghdad remain very insecure and it is unclear at this stage how much of the refuse collection system has been restored. A prolonged absence of waste removal would represent a substantial threat to public health. We are monitoring the situation closely.

Iraq

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what time-frame her Department expects for the restoration of the Oil for Food programme in Iraq at the level of the local distribution centres.

Clare Short: The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that it has made contact with the Director General at the Iraqi Trade Ministry which was formerly responsible for operating the Oil for Food distribution system. WFP understand that the distribution system is in good shape, though their own assessments have been slowed by security and access issues. Distribution is ongoing in parts of northern Iraq and many food agents elsewhere in the country want to resume work and have been reporting to distribution centres. It is not yet possible to provide an accurate time frame for full restoration of local distribution throughout Iraq. My Department is continuing to monitor the situation closely and is working closely to facilitate contacts between the Coalition Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA), the WFP and the Iraqi Ministry of Trade in Iraq.

Iraq

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in restoring clean water supplies to (a) Kirkuk and (b) Mosul in Iraq.

Clare Short: The water supply in Kirkuk has been restored, with the exception of supplies to the Central Hospital. The hospital is being supplied by water tankers. In Mosul water supplies have been restored.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports she has received about cholera outbreaks in (a) Basra and (b) Hilla.

Clare Short: On 27 April, the UN Office of the Humanitarian Co-ordinator for Iraq (UNOHCI) reported that the health situation in Iraq in general was stable. The number of diarrhoea cases was within normally expected limits and no measles or cholera cases had been reported. Latest World Health Organisation (WHO) reports confirm that no cases of cholera have been identified in Iraq to date.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports she has received about the adequacy of equipment and quality control systems for preventing blood contamination in Iraqi hospitals.

Clare Short: Approximately 150 health assessments have been undertaken in Iraq. Results of these are being consolidated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) who are the lead co-ordinator for the health sector. All assessments are available from the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) information centre website at: www.agoodplacetostart.org
	We have not received any reports specifically about the adequacy of equipment and control systems for preventing blood contamination in Iraqi hospitals.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the distribution system set up under the Oil for Food programme in Iraq is operational.

Clare Short: The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that it has made contact with the Director General at the Iraqi Trade Ministry which was formerly responsible for operating the Oil for Food distribution system. WFP understand that the distribution system is in good shape, though their own assessments have been slowed by security and access issues. Distribution is on-going in parts of northern Iraq and many food agents elsewhere in the country want to resume work and have been reporting to distribution centres. It is not yet possible to provide an accurate time frame for full restoration of local distribution throughout Iraq. My Department is continuing to monitor the situation closely and is working closely to facilitate contacts between the Coalition Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA), the WFP and the Iraqi Ministry of Trade in Iraq.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) assessment her Department made of civilian infrastructures and (b) plans were made for the restoration of essential services in Iraq prior to military action; and if she will make future plans publicly available.

Clare Short: Prior to the conflict in Iraq much of the civilian infrastructure was in a state of disrepair. UN agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were undertaking programmes to restore these services. The Coalition's military strategy drawn up before the start of the conflict sought to minimise damage to civilian infrastructure.
	DFID, UN agencies, the ICRC and others prepared for a wide range of humanitarian scenarios prior to the conflict. DFID has seconded two humanitarian specialists, one of whom is an infrastructure specialist, to work with the armed forces (UK 1 Division) and to advise on relief activities.
	DFID has committed £115 million to date to support the humanitarian response to the crisis through the activities of the UN, ICRC and NGOs. Some most notably the ICRC, were active throughout the conflict in getting water, power and medical services back up and running. A number of agencies have now taken part in initial post-conflict assessment missions to determine the state of essential services and to prioritise the needs for emergency responses.
	Most agency assessments and future plans are available from the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) website at: www.agoodplacetostart.org

Market Testing

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the estimated level of saving to the Department is from the use of market testing in 2002–03.

Clare Short: My Department does not have a programme of formal market testing. We ensure value for money by selecting external suppliers through strict competitive tendering processes. Internal services are provided under service level agreements that set out agreed standards of efficiency, informed by benchmarking where relevant.

Public Service Agreement

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (a) how many and (b) what grades of officials are responsible for the monitoring of progress towards the public service agreement targets of the Department.

Clare Short: Monitoring progress towards the Department's PSA targets is undertaken by a wide variety of staff at all levels of the organisation.

St. Helena

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made on the provision of an airport on St. Helena.

Clare Short: As a result of talks held last September in St. Helena, an invitation to the private sector seeking innovative proposals for the development of air access was launched by the St. Helena Government on 7 April 2003. Details of this invitation can be found at www.giclimited.com.

United Nations Development Programme

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the projects undertaken by the Conflict and Recovery Unit of the United Nations Development programme in each year since its inception and the contribution of her Department for this programme in each year.

Clare Short: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) created the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) in November 2001, in order to address the increasing demand for well-co-ordinated assistance on crisis prevention and recovery and the need for a strengthened capacity within the UN system to help bridge the gap between humanitarian response and longer-term development assistance. The main purpose of BCPR is to provide technical support to UNDP Country Offices and their programmes, rather than carrying out directly executed projects. Since its establishment, the Bureau's capacity to provide support in conflict prevention, security sector reform, recovery, small arms reduction, mine action and natural disaster reduction has increased considerably.
	At present, approximately 65 out of UNDP's 135 Country Offices implementing crisis prevention or recovery programmes draw on BCPR support. However, to ensure a strategic use of its resources, BCPR focuses the provision of its technical support on Afghanistan, Angola, Central Asia, Colombia, Georgia, Great Lakes, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Iraq, Nepal, Somalia, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and West Africa.
	DFID has worked closely with the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery since its establishment and has made an overall contribution of £13.4 million to date: £6.6 million in 2001–02 and £6.8 million in 2002–03. Our contribution has been utilised across the full range of BCPR's activities.

Zimbabwe

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to deal with the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: DFID has contributed £51 million to help Zimbabwe since the humanitarian crisis began in mid 2001. We are currently supporting the World Food Programme, which is feeding nearly five million people, while government and non-governmental organisations are also supplying food. DFID is directly funding NGOs that are providing supplementary food to 1.5 million, mostly children, pregnant and nursing women and the elderly. We have supported home care programmes for families affected by HIV/AIDS and have provided seeds and fertilisers to 180,000 households to assist food production.
	The international response has helped avert a crisis and malnutrition rates have increased only marginally. Adequate supplies of food have been secured until June when the harvest will improve the situation. However, it is already evident that the crisis in food production will persist for a third year, as the structural causes of agricultural decline have not been addressed. The economic crisis also means that poverty is rising and many people will remain vulnerable. Detailed assessments and the plans of the Zimbabwe Government are awaited; from there we will develop specific programmes for 2003–04.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

EU Committees

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU Contact Committee European Economic Interest Group, the number of times and the dates on which it has met since January 2002, the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, the decisions it has made since January 2002 and the means used to communicate these decisions to the House.

Patricia Hewitt: There are no officials of the Department permanently appointed to sit on the Committee; such officials would be selected according to the subject matter under discussion at any meeting of the Committee. There have been no meetings of the Committee since January 2002, and consequently, there have been no agenda items or decisions taken by the Committee to communicate to the House during that period.

Renewable Energy

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she has taken to ensure that regional plans for renewable energy generation take account of the impact of new generating facilities on the wider rural economy]

Brian Wilson: The recent Energy White Paper set out the Government's plans with regard to regional plans for renewable energy developments. It sets out the Government's commitment to ensure that a strategic approach to energy issues is developed in each English region. This includes encouraging regional bodies and local authorities to strategically examine resources and opportunities for renewable energy projects within their areas. When drawing up their development plans, regional bodies and local authorities need to have regard to all relevant planning policy guidance, including those relating to rural development (PPG7) regional planning (PPGII) and renewable energy (PPG22). Any proposed energy development must be considered on its merits on a case by case basis. Among the factors taken into account would be the economic, environmental and any other relevant material planning considerations.

Renewable Energy

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the environmental impact of plans by the South West Regional Development Agency for further onshore wind power generation.

Brian Wilson: The South West Regional Development Agency has made no plans for further onshore wind power generation. That is not its role. The number and location of onshore wind turbines is a matter for developers and the relevant planning authority. The environmental impact of proposals is considered on a case by case basis.

Renewable Energy

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received about the environmental impact of plans by the South West Regional Development Agency for further onshore wind power generations.

Brian Wilson: Since the South West Regional Development Agency has not made plans for further onshore wind power generation (this is not its role), the issue of representations does not arise.

Adoption Leave

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to introduce a statutory right to adoption leave for parents with a newly adopted child; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: New statutory rights to leave and pay for parents adopting a child came into effect on 6 April this year.
	Eligible employees who adopt will be able to take 52 weeks' adoption leave, beginning around the time their child is placed with them for adoption. Eligible adopters will receive Statutory Adoption Pay for up to 26 weeks.
	Eligible employees who adopt, or are the partner of an adopter, can take one or two weeks' (their choice) paternity leave around the time the child is placed for adoption. If they are eligible they will receive Statutory Paternity Pay during that time.
	Where a couple adopts they are able to choose which of them will take adoption leave and which will take paternity leave.
	Statutory Adoption Pay and Statutory Paternity Pay are both paid at £100 per week or 90 per cent. of average weekly earnings if this is less than £100.
	Guidance for employers and employees and further information about these new rights is available from the Department of Trade and Industry's website,
	www.dti.gov.uk/workingparents.

Arms Trade

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  pursuant to her answer of 11 April 2003, Official Report, column 460W, on arms exports, what independent assessments by computer security analysts her Department has sought on the levels of security and encryption required for computers used by those applying for arms licences;
	(2)  pursuant to her answer of 11 April 2003, Official Report, column 460W, on arms exports, whether there will be security protocols for the electronic transfer of information via intranets specifically to guarantee security when companies have global networks which extend to countries for which individual export licences have not been granted.

Nigel Griffiths: Applicants for licences are responsible for the level of security in whatever form they choose to submit it. Appropriate advice will be given.

Arms Trade

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 11 April 2003, Official Report, column 460W, on arms exports, if she will estimate the cost of establishing a register of arms dealers and brokers to which interested parties would have to sign up before applying for arms licences.

Nigel Griffiths: The Government have not proposed such a register and therefore have made no estimate of the consequent costs.

Arms Trade

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the Government's policy is on dealing with outstanding UK contracts with countries that face new restrictions on arms trading; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: Where a UK, EU or UK embargo is placed on a country which is being supplied by a UK contractor, there are established mechanisms in place to ensure the embargo is fully complied with. Implementation periods have been proposed relating to the new legislation to enable applicants to consider how to comply with the new legislation.

Arms Trade

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria are used in assessing a country's probability as a conduit for arms supply to banned countries; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: I refer the hon. Member to the reply from my right hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Peter Hain), the then Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to my hon. Friend the Member for Crawley, on 26 October 2000, Official Report, column 199–203W.

Broadband (Yorkshire)

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what further steps she proposes to take to ensure that public sector investment in broadband is used to enable wider access for private users in East Yorkshire;
	(2)  what public sector procurement of broadband she expects to take place across the East Riding of Yorkshire during the next 12 months.

Stephen Timms: Through the UK Broadband Task Force, DTI is currently engaged in co-ordinating the aggregation of demand for broadband in the public sector. The aggregation project is aimed at extending broadband availability in the UK, as well as securing value for money, and will thus be of benefit to rural areas such as East Yorkshire.
	Details of public sector procurement plans across the East Riding of Yorkshire are not available.

Civil Service (People with Disabilities)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in meeting targets for the proportion of people with disabilities in senior posts in her Department.

Patricia Hewitt: The DTI has exceeded disability benchmarks set in 2000 for staff in Bands up to the Senior Civil Service (SCS). The proportion of disabled staff in the SCS as at 31 December 2002 was 3.2 per cent. against a benchmark set of 3.9 per cent. Figures reflect numbers of staff who have formally notified the Department of a disability or a health condition
	DTI is working to a programme of action to improve representation further.

E-Commerce

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to tackle the use of unsolicited e-mails.

Stephen Timms: There will be new controls on the use of unsolicited commercial e-mail under the UK's implementing regulations for the Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive (Directive 2002/58/EC). The new rules, to come into force this year, will require that unsolicited e-mails may only be set for the purposes of direct marketing to individuals with their prior consent, except where there is an existing customer relationship between the sender and the addressee.
	Consultation on the draft regulations started on 27 March this year and details of the proposed new rules are available in the Libraries of the House and on the DTI's website at www.dti.gov.uk. Each member state of the European Union is required to implement the directive.

E-Commerce

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many broadband users there were in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK in each of the last 12 months.

Stephen Timms: The data for Scotland are not available. Oftel estimates the approximate number of broadband customers in the UK for each of the last 12 months is:
	
		
			 Date (month ending) Total broadband customers 
		
		
			 May 2002 641,000 
			 June 2002 747,000 
			 July 2002 837,000 
			 August 2002 909,000 
			 September 2002 1,020,000 
			 October 2002 1,135,000 
			 November 2002 1,264,000 
			 December 2002 1,382,000 
			 January 2003 1,524,000 
			 February 2003 1,664,000 
			 March 2003 1,818,000 
			 April 2003 1,915,000

E-Commerce

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the total amount of finance received by business in the UK through e-commerce transactions and sales in each year since 1998.

Stephen Timms: Information on e-commerce transactions and sales is published annually in the Office for National Statistics (ONS) e-commerce survey. Figures for 2002 are not yet available; they are due to be published by the ONS in October this year. Prior to 2001 this data was not collected by the ONS. A copy of the ONS e-commerce survey 2001 has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

E-Commerce

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the percentage of businesses in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK who have enabled customers to buy online in the last two years;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the percentage of businesses in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK which used the internet to sell their products in each year since 1998;
	(3)  what estimate she has made of the percentage of businesses in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK which (i) were broadband enabled, (ii) had websites and (iii) had access to the internet in each year since 1998.

Stephen Timms: Information of this type is published annually in the DTI's International Benchmarking Study: Business in the Information Age. The Study provides year on year findings from 1997. A copy of the International Benchmarking Study 2002 has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Electricity Industry

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the tax charge that would have been incurred in relation to the British Energy rescue and loan facilities, and the monies drawn from these facilities, the payment of which would be obviated by clause 4 of the Electricity (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.

Brian Wilson: The tax disregard provisions of Clause 4 only apply to grants made under Schedule 12 to the Electricity Act 1989. The credit facility agreement referred to is not provided under Schedule 12 and so will not benefit from the tax disregard.

Electronic Communications (Market Analysis)Regulations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received about the Electronic Communications (Market Analysis) Regulations.

Stephen Timms: No representations have been received since the Regulations (S.I. 2003/330) were made in February 2003. The Department had, however, consulted on the subject matter of these Regulations (together with the subject matter of the Electronic Communications (Universal Service) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/33)) in August 2002 and the Regulations that have been made take account of the responses to that consultation.

Fairtrade Goods

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to promote the sale of Fairtrade goods.

Nigel Griffiths: We provided significant support of £1.3 million over the last three years for the Ethical Trading Initiative and £0.5 million over the last two years to the Fairtrade Foundation's efforts in promoting and supplying marketing of Fairtrade Products in the UK. My hon. Friend the Minister for E-Commerce and Competitiveness held a meeting with business leaders in November 2002 to look at ways of mainstreaming Fairtrade as part of an on-going dialogue on this important issue. We have taken action to ensure that Fairtrade tea and coffee is available throughout the DTI's offices.

Flexible Working

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are in place to ensure that working parents with children under six or with disabled children are (a) able to request flexible working hours from employers and (b) that their requests are seriously considered.

Alan Johnson: On 6 April 2003, the Government introduced new employment legislation specifically to provide working parents with more choice in how they balance their work and family responsibilities. This included a statutory right for employees with children under six, or disabled children under 18, to request flexible working arrangements, and a statutory duty on employers to consider such requests according to a set procedure.
	The procedure, set out in regulations and based on existing best practice, ensures that all requests are dealt with seriously and consistently, and assists those employers who may not have had experience of handling such requests before. Employers who deliberately ignore the legislation and breach any aspect of the procedure may risk being taken to an Employment Tribunal, who have the power to award compensation or order the application to be reconsidered. In addition, employers may only refuse an application on one or more of eight business grounds, which are specified in the Employment Act 2002. An employee has the right to complain to a Tribunal if the employer bases their refusal on other grounds or incorrect facts.
	To enable employers and employees to use the legislation most effectively, we have produced extensive guidance both on the internet at www.dti.gov.uk/workingparents and in hard copy. Guidance is also available in an interactive format at www.tiger.gov.uk, and helpline support is being provided by Acas on 08457 47 47 47. To help raise awareness of the new legislation prior to it coming into force, the Government also ran a six-week advertising campaign in the national press.

Mobile Phones

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions have taken place with mobile phone companies regarding internet access through mobile phones and exposure of children to inappropriate and illegal material; and what plans she has to address this.

Stephen Timms: It is Government policy to seek to ensure that the law in the UK applies on-line in the same way as it does in the off-line world. We recognise that technology now allows access to the internet via the latest generation of mobile phones. I welcome the decisions of most of the mobile operators to support financially the world of the Internet Watch Foundation.
	Mobile phone operators now have a responsibility as content providers. Therefore the DTI and other Government Departments have had discussions with all the operators to ensure that access by minors to inappropriate or illegal material is as hard as it is via any other medium.
	Government are working with industry to agree a Code of Practice with all the mobile operators. This will include giving parents the ability to block adult services on new mobile phones and a classification of all material offered. We expect to be able to agree and introduce the Code shortly.

Nuclear Reprocessing

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of the relative costs of (a) reprocessing 50-year cooled PWR spent reactor fuel and (b) reprocessing five-year cooled fuel at Sellafield using THORP.

Brian Wilson: The Government have made no such estimate. It is for the owners of spent fuel to make judgments about the relative merits of reprocessing spent fuel on an early timescale in currently available reprocessing facilities as compared to other spent fuel management options that might be available. It can be noted that, should an owner choose to store spent fuel for an extended period pending future decisions on its final management, the option to reprocess the fuel would be dependent upon the necessary reprocessing facilities then being available. The United Kingdom's only PWR power station is Sizewell B, owned by British Energy, which has been in operation since 1995.

Nuclear Reprocessing

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of the relative costs of (a) non-reprocessing spent reactor fuel followed by encapsulation and (b) storage at a reactor site with the reprocessing, vitrification and storage as currently practised at Sellafield.

Brian Wilson: The Government have made no estimate of the relative costs of different spent fuel management options. It is for the owners of spent fuel to make judgments about the relative merits of reprocessing spent fuel as compared to other spent fuel management options that might in future become available such as direct disposal.

One NorthEast

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on (a) the involvement of One North East in the decision-making process which preceded Budget 2003 and (b) One North East's role in delivering commitments made in Budget 2003.

Alan Johnson: (a) The Agency was asked, along with Government Office to feed in our Regional priorities for the Budget, in the context of the delivery of the Regional Economic Strategy and the Productivity in the UK report. We did this in January 2002.
	The Agency also responded to Treasury consultations on cross cutting issues, in particular Science and Industry.
	(b) One NorthEast's role in delivering commitments made in Budget 2002.
	The 2002 budget delivered excellent new flexibilities for all RDAs, through the establishment of a single budget for uncommitted resources. The activities funded by the Agency are agreed with Government through the Corporate Plan. One NorthEast's total gross expenditure for 2002–3 was 228 million. The provisional figures for 2002–03 show that the Agency has exceeded all of its targets.
	The RDA is also charged with leading the Region to ensure the delivery of Regional output targets, derived directly from Departmental PSA targets, and therefore directly contributing to the delivery of the Budget.
	The Regional Outcome targets are included in the Corporate Plan a copy of these has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Pharmacies

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations she has received from members of the public regarding the proposed deregulation of the pharmacy industry; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: We have received numerous representations from members of the public and other stakeholders regarding the OFT report on the control of entry regulations and retail pharmacy services in the UK.
	In relation to England, the Government have said that we favour change to open up the market and improve quality and access without diminishing the crucial role that pharmacies play, especially in poorer and rural areas. The Government intend to come forward with a balanced package of proposals for consultation before the summer recess.
	The regulations on pharmacy entry controls are devolved in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the devolved Administrations announced their responses to the OFT's recommendations on 26 March.

Postal Services

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many sub-post offices have been (a) proposed for closure by the Post Office, (b) referred to Postwatch on appeal, (c) recommended by Postwatch to remain open, (d) recommended by Postwatch to close and (e) subject to a closure decision by the Post Office under the Post Office urban reinvention programme.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 1 May 2003
	Data on the numbers of closure proposals put out to public consultation under the urban network reinvention programme and any subsequent Postwatch referrals and recommendations are operational matters for Post Office Ltd. and I have asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Postal Services

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how the distance criteria governing closure is being adapted under the Post Office urban reinvention programme to take account of (a) gradients of slope facing pedestrians, (b) the number of road crossings and traffic flows, (c) parking availability at remaining post offices and (d) expected waiting times at remaining post offices.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 1 May 2003
	The factors taken into account in formulating specific closure proposals put out to public consultation under the urban network reinvention programme are an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. and I have asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Public Service Agreement

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (a) how many and (b) what grades of officials are responsible for the monitoring of progress towards the public service agreement targets of the Department.

Patricia Hewitt: Monitoring progress towards the Department's PSA targets is undertaken by a wide variety of staff at all levels of the organisation, including the Department's Permanent Secretary and Directors General who receive regular updates, as members of the Executive Board, on progress towards the PSA targets.

Selby Coalfield

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from the National Union of Mineworkers concerning the Selby coalfield.

Brian Wilson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry met representatives of the NUM on 12 February 2003 and was given a copy of a report commissioned by the NUM from National Economic Research Associates (NERA) entitled "Keeping the Selby Complex Open".

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Domestic Violence

Margaret Moran: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will list the reviews of deaths in cases of domestic violence she has undertaken; and what her conclusions were in each case.

Harriet Harman: I asked Chief Crown Prosecutors outside London to carry out domestic violence murder reviews in six suitable cases as an informal pilot scheme.
	The Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence has been considering the issue of murder reviews. The issue was included in the White Paper "Justice for All" published in July 2002 and will be picked up as part of the wider Consultation Paper on domestic violence that is to be published soon.

Stevens Inquiry

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Solicitor-General on what dates files have been forwarded to the Northern Ireland Director of Public Prosecutions as a result of the inquiry being conducted by Sir John Stevens; how many files were forwarded in each case; in what proportion of cases the DPP has initiated a prosecution; and how many have been successful.

Harriet Harman: Sir John Stevens' inquiries began in September 1989. Since then the Stevens' team has forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland a substantial number of reports relating to named individuals.
	During the course of the three inquiries, 9,256 statements have been taken, 10,391 documents recorded (totalling over one million pages) and 16,194 exhibits seized. To date, 94 persons have been convicted and 57 separate reports submitted to the Director for his consideration. The Director has been informed that further reports will be submitted. Further information could be provided only following an individual examination of each report and at a disproportionate cost.
	This information is also available in the Report published by Sir John Stevens on 17 April 2003.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Anti-terrorism Publicity

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many calls have been received by the Metropolitan police anti-terrorism hotline; and how many people are employed in the running of the Metropolitan police anti-terrorism hotline.

David Blunkett: 2,597 calls were received on the hotline between 17 March and 14 April 2003. The line is staffed 24hrs a day 7 days a week and has sufficient staff to deal with the volume of calls. All calls received are answered. For operational reasons, the Metropolitan police do not disclose staffing levels in its anti-terrorist branch or how they are deployed.

Anti-terrorism Publicity

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent by the Metropolitan police on (a) the Life Savers anti-terrorism advertising campaign and (b) the anti-terrorism hotline.

David Blunkett: £410,000 in total was spent on the design, printing and advertising costs for the Life Savers anti-terrorism advertising campaign. Costs for the Anti-terrorism hotline are dependent on the volume of calls received and are covered by existing budgets.

Asylum Support Regulations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the Asylum Support (Amendment) Regulations.

Beverley Hughes: No representation have been received about the Asylum Support (Amendment) (No2) Regulations 2003.

Child Abuse

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the law concerning reporting allegations and suspicions of child abuse.

Hilary Benn: "Working Together to Safeguard Children", the Government's child protection guidance, sets out how all agencies and professionals should work together to promote children's welfare and protect them from abuse and neglect. It is intended to provide a national framework within which agencies and professionals at local level—individually and jointly—draw up and agree upon their more detailed ways of working together.
	The Protection of Children Guidance, produced for agencies, voluntary organisations etc. to accompany the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000, makes it clear that in any case of suspected child abuse the police must always be contacted immediately.
	The suggestion that there should be a statutory obligation to report allegations or suspicions of child abuse is being considered in the light of the experience of other countries that have introduced mandatory reporting schemes.

Child Abuse

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has commissioned into the potential impact of making compulsory the reporting of (a) allegations and (b) suspicions of child abuse by persons in positions of authority.

Hilary Benn: The Government are considering the suggestion that there should be a statutory obligation to report allegations or suspicions of child abuse. In doing so, we will take into account the experience of other countries that have introduced mandatory reporting schemes. It is too early in our consideration to be able to report on our findings.

Conference Costs

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what total cost was incurred by staff in his Department in attending conferences in 2002.

David Blunkett: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Consultation Documents

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list written consultation documents which have been published by his Department since 1 January 2001; and which of them had consultation periods of (a) less than three weeks, (b) less than six weeks, (c) less than 12 weeks and (d) 12 weeks or more.

David Blunkett: The details requested are listed.
	The way in which Government Departments conduct national written public consultations is governed by a code of conduct issued by Cabinet Office. The code stipulates that sufficient time should be allowed for considered responses from interested parties. Twelve weeks is the standard minimum period for consultation unless Ministers conclude that exceptional circumstances require a departure. In order to improve the Department's performance against the code, we have put in place new guidance and arrangements in August 2002. There has since been a significant improvement in the Department's performance.
	However, there must be a balance between the demands of the public for action and the legitimate requirements to give time for feedback on the specific proposals for action.
	Documents with less than a three-week consultation period
	There were no consultations where the consultation period ran for less than three weeks. Documents with less than a six-week consultation period
	
		
			 Title of consultation exercise Launch date Deadline for responses Number of weeks consultation 
		
		
			 Animal Rights Extremism: Government Strategy: A Consultation 28 March 2001 27 April 2001 4.5 
			 Consultation of use of X/Gamma Radiation Scanner 17 July 2001 27 August 2001 5.5 
			 Police and Criminal Evidence Act—Code A 11 March 2002 19 April 2002 5.5 
			 Criminal Justice White Paper: Proposals on jury exemptions and excusals Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment 25 September 2002 24 October 2002 4 
			 Juxtaposed controls implementation—Dover-Calais 25 March 2003 25 April 2003 4.5 
		
	
	Documents with less than a 12-week consultation period
	
		
			 Title of consultation exercise Launch date Deadline for responses Number of weeks consultation 
		
		
			 Animal Procedures—review of the Ethical Review Process 11 January 2001 23 March 2001 10 
			 Race relations (Amendment) Act 2000—New Laws for a Successful Multi-Racial Britain 22 February 2001 15 May 2001 11.5 
			 Guidance for the use of an Intermediary under s.29 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 3 May 2001 29 June 2001 8 
			 Funding Community Groups: a consultation document 3 May 2001 23 July 2001 11.5 
			 Extension of Civil Penalties to Freight Shuttle Wagons 18 July 2001 29 August 2001 6 
			 Consultation Paper on the Review of Part 1 of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 30 July 2001 19 October 2001 11.5 
			 Police and Criminal Evidence Act—Code F 15 September 2001 31 0ctober 01 6.5 
			 Accessing Communications data—Draft code of practice 13 August 2001 2 November 2001 11.5 
			 Review of Family Visitors Appeals 29 October 2001 14 December 2001 6.5 
			 Fees for the removal and storage of vehicles, under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 16 November 2001 28 December 2001 6 
			 Improving the planning of Young People Substance Misuse Services 1 November 2001 31 December 2001 8.5 
			 White Paper 'Policing a New Century: A Blueprint for reform' 5 December 2001 21 January 2002 6.5 
			 Death in Police Custody—Consultation paper on revising the definition of categories of deaths of members of the public during or following police contact 14 December 2001 31 January 2002 6.5 
			 Motor Salvage Operators Regulations 2002, made under the Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001 4 January 2002 1 March 2002 8 
			 Secure Borders Safe Haven—Integration with diversity in modern Britain 7 February 2002 21 March 2002 6 
			 Extension of controlled drugs licensing 11 February 2002 1 May 2002 11 
			 Proposed changes to the Misuse of Drugs legislation 4 March 2002 17 May 2002 10.5 
			 Charging for the consideration of Work Permit applications 15 April 2002 5 July 2002 11.5 
			 Police and Criminal Evidence Act—Code B—E 12 June 2002 16 August 2002 9 
			 Review of Seasonal Agricultural Workers' Scheme 2002 3 June 2002 23 August 2002 11.5 
			 Breaking the Circle—A report of the review of the rehabilitation of offenders act 17 July 2002 13 September 2002 8 
			 Proceeds of Crime Act Section 377—Code of Practice Investigation Powers 14 0ctober 2002 3 January 2003 11.5 
			 Implementation of juxtaposed controls at Calais 20 November 2002 7 February 2003 11.5 
			 Sexual Offences Bill—sex offenders who travel abroad 28 January 2003 21 March 2003 7.5 
			 Patient Group Directions (PGD)—Proposal to permit the supply of certain controlled drugs by health professionals under the PGD system 7 February 2003 7 April 2003(extended to17 April 2003) 9.5 
			 Criminal Records Bureau—reform of the disclosure process 27 February 2003 25 April 2003 8 
		
	
	Documents with more than 12-week consultation period
	
		
			 Title of consultation exercise Launch date Deadline for responses Number of weeks consultation 
		
		
			 The Law on Extradition: a review 12 March 2001 8 June 2001 12.5 
			 Review of the Victims Charter 27 February 2001 15 June 2001 15.5 
			 The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974: A consultation leaflet 25 April 2001 30 July 2001 13.5 
			 The Halliday Report—Making punishments work 5 July 2001 31 0ctober 2001 16.5 
			 Ratification of the Driving Disqualification Convention 25 September 2001 18 December 2001 12 
			 Review of Crime Reduction Training 4 March 2002 27 May 2002 12 
			 Review of Work Permit Policy on Recruitment of employment agencies and contractors 18 March 2002 14 June 2002 12.5 
			 Merger of CDRPs/DATs 3 May 2002 26 July 2002 12 
			 Working Holidaymaker Scheme: Consultation document 29 May 2002 23 August 2002 12 
			 Justice for All (Home Office, Attorney General and Lord Chancellor) 17 July 2002 9 October 2002 12 
			 Connecting communities, race equality grant programme 31 July 2002 25 October 2002 12 
			 Protocol to the Convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters 9 August 2002 1 November 2002 12 
			 Proceeds of Crime Act Section 292—Code of Practice for search powers regarding recovery of criminal proceeds 23 August 2002 15 November 2002 12 
			 Proceeds of Crime Act—Part 7 Section 339 Money Laundering 23 August 2002 15 November 2002 12 
			 Fundamental review of death certification and the Coroner services in England, Wales and Northern Ireland 9 August 2002 22 November 2002 15 
			 Entitlement Cards and Identity Fraud 3 July 2002 10 January 2003 27 
			 Proposals to make lawful the supply of specific items of drugs paraphernalia to drug users 18 Novermber 2002 14 February 2003 12.5 
			 IAA 1999 provision of facilities at ports and charging for additional services section 25/26 1999 Act 25 November 2002 17 February 2003 12 
			 Business Crime Consultation 2 December 2002 28 February 2003 12.5 
			 Insurance Cover Working Group paper (Voluntary Sector Insurance) 31 January 2003 25 April 2003 12

Coroner's Review

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the report of the Home Office Coroner's Review.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 1 May 2003
	The Independent Review of Coroner Services reported to the Home Secretary at the end of April. The Review Group's report will be published once Ministers have had the opportunity to consider it.

Departmental Website

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the (a) cost of and (b) number of visitors to each website operated by his Department and each agency and non-departmental public body for which his Department is responsible in each year since its establishment.

David Blunkett: The available information is shown in the table. For 1998 to 2001, it reflects expenditure on the corporate Home Office website only. Figures for 2001 onwards include all known Home Office funded web properties excluding Criminal Justice System (CJS) Online.
	
		£
		
			 Year Cost Visitors 
		
		
			 1998–99 n/a n/a 
			 1999–2000 40,614 n/a 
			 2000–01 58,170 484,269 
			 2001–02 1,576,214 3,830,772 
			 2002–03 (10)1,643,356 (10)6,099,197 
		
	
	(10) These figures include the cost of the site volcomgrants.gov.uk but no statistics of use are available.
	As it has evolved, the Home Office website has used the most suitable statistical analysis software available. The figures shown in the table therefore represent the most accurate information available to us at the time of each reported statistic.
	Websites accounted for in these figures for 2001–02 onwards:
	www.apc.gov.uk
	www.ask-the-football-fans.gov.uk
	www.assetsrecovery.gov.uk
	www.bicester-centre.co.uk
	www.communitycohesion.gov.uk
	www.crimereduction.gov.uk
	www.dpas.gov.uk
	www.drugs.gov.uk
	www.dspdprogramme.gov.uk
	www.fairersentencing.gov.uk
	www.goldenjubileeaward.gov.uk
	www.good2bsecure.co.uk
	www.hmenterprises.gov.uk
	www.hmpenterprises.co.uk
	www.hmpnewgate.co.uk
	www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk
	www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk
	www.ipcc.gov.uk
	www.kebabathon.co.uk
	www.mappaonline.co.uk
	www.policecouldyou.co.uk
	www.policereform.gov.uk
	www.positivefutures.gov.uk
	www.ppo.gov.uk
	www.probation.homeoffice.gov.uk
	www.secureyourmotor.gov.uk
	www.sentencing-advisory-panel.gov.uk
	www.specialconstables.gov.uk
	www.surveillancecommissioners.gov.uk
	www.technicaladvisoryboard.org.uk
	www.thinkuknow.co.uk
	www.volcomgrants.gov.uk
	www.wiseuptothenet.co.uk

EU Committees

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU committee for protection against the effects of the extra-territorial application of legislation adopted by a third country, and actions based thereon or resulting therefrom, the number of times and the dates on which it has met since January 2002, the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, the decisions it has made since January 2002 and the means used to communicate these decisions to the House.

Nigel Griffiths: I have been asked to reply.
	This committee has not been set up.

Firearms

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many firearms have been handed in to police over the past five years in (a) Merseyside, (b) St. Helens, (c) England and (d) London;
	(2)  how many deaths by firearms have occurred in each of the last five years in (a) Merseyside, (b) St. Helens, (c) England and (d) London per head of population;
	(3)  what assessment his Department has made of the number of illegal firearms in circulation in Merseyside; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how many crimes involving firearms have occurred in each of the last five years in (a) Merseyside, (b) St. Helens, (c) England and (d) London per head of population.

Bob Ainsworth: Details of the number of illegal firearms in circulation by police force area are not collected centrally.
	Available published data by police area, on the total number of recorded crimes in which firearms (including air weapons) were reported to have been used are given in the table.
	Information on firearms offences per head of population are not available.
	
		
			  Number of offences involving firearms 
			 Year Merseyside London England 
		
		
			 1997 576 2,930 11,816 
			 1998–99 856 3,005 13,283 
			 1999–2000 914 4,123 16,234 
			 2001–01 1,041 4,264 17,083 
		
	
	Information on the number of firearms that have been handed in to police are not routinely collected centrally.
	Available published data by police force area, on the number of recorded homicide offences in which firearms were reported to have been used are given in the table.
	
		
			  Number of homicide offences involving firearms 
			 Year Merseyside London England 
		
		
			 1997 3 26 57 
			 1998–99 3 19 49 
			 1999–2000 3 24 62 
			 2000–01 3 28 72 
		
	
	Numbers of firearms offences were published on a calendar year basis up to 1997, and on a financial year basis thereafter. The London area refers to the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police.
	There was a change of counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, which will have the effect of increasing the number of crimes counted. Numbers of recorded crimes before and after this date are therefore not directly comparable.
	As a result of some police forces adopting the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) in advance of its official introduction across England and Wales on 1 April 2002, numbers of offences recorded in 1999–2000 and 2000–01 for England may have been inflated. Both Merseyside and the London forces (Metropolitan Police and City of London Police) adopted the Standard on 1 April 2002, therefore their figures for 2001–02 will not be affected.
	Details of firearms offences are not collected at a smaller breakdown than police force area.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what IND will answer the letters of the hon. Member for Southwark North and Bermondsey of 25 July 2002 and 10 December 2002 about the immigration application of Mr.Patrick Sabure, Congolese citizen, of London SE17.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 28 April 2003
	I am sorry that the hon. Member has not had an earlier reply. I understand that the Immigration and Nationality Directorate have now replied to his letters of 25 July 2002 and 10 December 2002.

Narrowing the Justice Gap

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what targets have been set under the Narrowing the Justice Gap programme.

Hilary Benn: The Public Service Agreement target to bring 1.2 million recorded offences to justice by 2005–06, with an improvement in all Criminal Justice System areas, a greater increase in the worst performing areas, and a reduction in the proportion of ineffective trials, is referred to as the 'Narrowing the Justice Gap' target. This target applies to the criminal justice system in England and Wales as a whole. The various criminal justice services have not been set their own 'Narrowing the Justice Gap' targets: rather, the services in each area need to work together to deliver the target. For 2003–04, each Local Criminal Justice Board has been set a 'Narrowing the Justice Gap' target to increase the number of offences brought to justice in its area by 5 per cent., compared with the area's performance in 2001–02. From 2004–05, the worse performing areas will be expected to achieve a greater performance increase than the national average performance improvement required in order to achieve the 2005–06 target. Local Criminal Justice Boards have been asked to set a 2003- 04 target for their own area for reduction of ineffective trials.

Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many certificates he has issued under section 72 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 since it came into force.

Beverley Hughes: Section 72 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 was partly commenced on 10 February 2003 and fully commenced on 1 April 2003. No certificate has yet been issued under section 72. We will not hesitate to use this power as and when appropriate cases are identified.

Offending Behaviour Programmes

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the rates were for re-offending by offenders who have completed accredited offending behaviour programmes, broken down by (a) programme and (b) area, in the most recent complete year available.

Hilary Benn: The information sought is not yet available. The reconviction rate is measured over a two-year period from completion of the programme. The first accredited offending behaviour programmes were introduced in 2001 and reconviction data will not be available until spring 2004.

Offending Behaviour Programmes

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many completions there have been of accredited offending behaviour programmes since each programme's inception, broken down by (a) programme and (b) area in each full year available; and what efforts are being made to reduce programme attrition.

Hilary Benn: The National Probation Service is making good progress with the implementation of its accredited offending behaviour programmes. There were 3,383 completions in the only full year for which figures are available, April 2001 to March 2002. Table A provides a breakdown by area and programme. Since roll out began in January 2001, 8,613 individuals have completed accredited offending behaviour programmes.
	The National Probation Service is tackling attrition by addressing case management and programme targeting. Each probation area is required to prepare an attrition action plan which will be monitored as part of the National Probation Service's performance management framework.
	
		Table A: Accredited Programmes Completions April 2001-March 2002
		
			  Think First ETS R&R Priestley 1to1 ASRO PRISM ART DIDs SOGP Total per area 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 105  - - - 105 
			 Bedfordshire 39   1  4  3  47 
			 Cambridgeshire 30   - - 30 
			 Cheshire 42- 42 
			 Co. Durham 102 102 
			 Cumbria 42 42 
			 Devon and Cornwall 72 72 
			 Derbyshire  72   7 79 
			 Dyfed-Powys11  11 
			 Dorset 34 34 
			 Essex   88 -  88 
			 Gloucestershire 29   1 33 265 
			 Greater Manchester 238- 238 
			 Gwent  2323 
			 Hampshire  6666 
			 Hertfordshire 67 67 
			 Humberside 43   1  44 
			 Kent 44   4   - -  48 
			 Lancashire 9963 162 
			 Leicestershire and Rutland  62  -- - 62 
			 Lincolnshire   35 - - 35 
			 London 465  34   499 
			 Merseyside 109 109 
			 Norfolk 52   -  52 
			 North Wales  2020 
			 North Yorkshire 28   -  28 
			 Northamptonshire  4343 
			 Northumbria 219   37 61 317 
			 Nottinghamshire 31   -- - 31 
			 South Wales   33   33 
			 South Yorkshire 18   12  30 
			 Staffordshire  10  -  10 
			 Suffolk 31   2  33 
			 Surrey  26  48- - 74 
			 Sussex 40   -  40 
			 Teesside 99   2 1 102 
			 Thames Valley 9653 149 
			 Warwickshire -   5-  5 
			 West Mercia  12  4 - 16 
			 West Midlands 168   -  168 
			 West Yorkshire  130130 
			 Wiltshire 32 32 
			 Totals per programme 2,374 464 190 116 96 6 - 15 122 3,383 
		
	
	Full name of programme
	Think First
	Enhanced Thinking Skills (ETS)
	Reasoning and Rehabilitation (R&R)
	Priestley One-to-One (1–2-1)
	Addressing Substance-related Offending (ASRO)
	Programme for Reducing Individual Substance Misuse (PRISM)
	Aggression Replacement Training (ART)
	Drink Impaired Drivers (DIDs)
	Sex Offender Groupwork Programmes (SOGP)
	(11)
	(12) (SOGP includes Thames Valley (TV-SOGP), Northumbria (N-SOGP) and West Midlands (C-SOGP) Programmes

Prisons

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial penalties have been imposed on private prison contractors in respect of privately operated establishments in each financial year since 1997–98; what the reasons were for each penalty; and whether the imposition of a penalty resulted in each case in the withholding of the corresponding amount from the contractor concerned.

Hilary Benn: The following table shows the financial penalties imposed and the reasons for these penalties. Forest Bank prison and young offender institution has not incurred financial deductions.
	
		
			 Number ofoccasions Penalty: (£) Reasons (PP= Performance Points) Dates 
		
		
			  Altcourse Prison 
			  Operating contractor: Group 4 Falck 
			 01 2,368.58 PPs for Qtr 2 September 1998 
			 02 195,000.00 PPs & Doubling Qtrs 2, 3 and 4  
			 03 4,144.97 PPs for Qtr 3 December 1998 
			 04 3,954.04 PPs for Qtr 4 March 1999 
			 05 3,511.23 PPs for Qtr 1 June 1999 
			 06 3,304.27 PPs for Qtr 2 September 1999 
			 07 440.40 PPs for Qtr 3 December 1999 
			 08 108,039.25 PPs for Qtr 4 February 2000 
			 09 4.82 PPs for Qtr 4 March 2000 
			 10 34,061.74 PPs for Qtr 1 May 2000 
			 11 9.77 PPs for Qtr 1 June 2000 
			 12 72,644 PPs for Qtr 4 November 2000 
			  Ashfield Young Offender Institution 
			  Operating contractor: Primier Prison Services 
			 01 66,310.41 PPs for Qtr 4 January 2002 
			 02 111,552.95 PPs for Qtr 1 April 2002 
			 03 126,026.47 PPs for Qtr 2 July 2002 
			 04 46,417.99 PPs for Qtr 3 October 2002 
			  Blakenhurst Prison 
			  Former operating contractor: UKDS. Under Prison Service management since 19 August 2001 
			  25,000.00 Escape November 1998 
			  Dovegate Prison 
			  Operating contractor: Premier prison Services 
			 01 168,015.24 PPs for Qtr 1 January 2002 
			 02 116,807.46 PPs for Qtr 2 April 2002 
			 03 141,774.69 PPs for Qtr 3 July 2002 
			  Doncaster Prison and Young Offender Institution 
			  Operating contractor: Premier Prison Services 
			  30,000.00 Escape August 2001 
			  Lowdham Grange Prison 
			  Operating contractor: Premier Prison Services 
			 01 702.00 PPs for Qtr 1 June 1998 
			 02 45,080,00 PPs for Qtr 3 November 1998 
			 04 6,334.00 PPs for Qtr 4 February 1999 
			 05 11,865.00 PPs for Qtr 4 February 2000 
			 06 5,703.00 PPs for Qtr 1 May 2001 
			  Parc Prison 
			  Operating contractor: Securicor 
			 01 54,782.00 PPs for Qtr 4 March 1998 
			 02 1,308.56 PPs for Qtr 1 July 1998 
			 03 298.09 Doubling June 1998 
			 04 750,000.00 PP's for Qtr 3+ doubling November 1998 
			 05 7,520.17 PP's for Qtr 1+ doubling May 1999 
			 06 80,390.38 Doubling Qtr 2 August 1999 
			 07 2,296.94 Doubling Qtr 2 September 1999 
			 08 109,329.27 Doubling Qtr 3 November 1999 
			 09 601.77 Doubling Qtr 4 January 2000 
			 10 7,708.10 PPs for Qtr 1 April 2000 
			 11 5,401.68 PPs for Qtr 2 July 2000 
			 12 3,448.07 PPs for Qtr 3 October 2000 
			 13 59.22 PPs for Qtr 4 January 2001 
			 Rye Hill Prison 
			  Operating contractor: Group 4 Falck 
			  60,000.00 Escape June 2002 
			  Wolds Prison 
			  Operating contractor: Group 4 Falck 
			 01 3,607.50 PPs for Qtr 3 October 1999 
			 01 10,432.50 PPs for Qtr 4 January 2000 
			 03 15,353.00 PPs for Qtr 2 July 2000 
			 04 9,782.50 PPs for Qtr 3 October 2000 
			 05 4,680.00 PPs for Qtr 4 January 2000 
			 06 11,472.50 PPs for Qtr 1 April 2001 
			 07 3,724.50 PPs for Qtr 2 July 2001 
		
	
	With the exception of the £195,000 and £108,039.25 penalties imposed on Altcourse in November 1998 and February 2000, the £750,000 penalty imposed on Parc in November 1998 and the £11,865 penalty imposed on Lowdham Grange in February 2000, the imposition of a penalty resulted in each case in the withholding of the corresponding amount from the contractor concerned. In the case of Altcourse and Parc, the penalties were reduced to take account of early problems with contract monitoring and in the case of Lowdham Grange the penalty was waived in return for a commitment from the contractor to provide additional services beyond the requirements in the contract.

Prisons

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to implement the recommendations of HM Inspector of Prisons following the visits to HM Prison Kingston on 12–16 February 2001 and 5–7 November 2002 with particular reference to elderly prisoners.

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has given to the prison service on the implementation of recommendations from the visits of HM Inspector to prisons, following the inspection report by HM Inspector of Prisons at HM Prison Kingston on 5–7 November 2002.

Hilary Benn: The Prison Service will, as with all such reports, produce an action plan based on each of the recommendations made by the chief inspector. The action plan will set out the Prison Service's response to each recommendation, the action to be taken to implement recommendations and the person responsible, together with a timescale for implementation. The Prison Service accepts the vast majority of recommendations made by the Chief Inspector in all of her reports, and provides updates to me and to the Chief Inspector.

Prisons

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners (a) started sentences in prisons and (b) completed sentences and left prisons in England and Wales in each month between April 2001 and March 2003.

Hilary Benn: The number of prisoners who were (a) received under sentence and (b) discharged from sentences in prisons in England and Wales in each month between April 2001 and February 2003 are given in the following table:
	
		Receptions
		
			  2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 January  8,260 7,790 
			 February  8,430 7,590 
			 March  8,020  
			 April 7,170 8,060  
			 May 7,730 9,030  
			 June 7,820 6,660  
			 July 7,990 8,600  
			 August 7,970 7,670  
			 September 7,200 7,860  
			 October 8,220 8,440  
			 November 8,080 7,730  
			 December 5,890 5,980  
		
	
	
		Discharges
		
			  2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 January  6,600 7,000 
			 February  6,300 6,400 
			 March  7,500  
			 April 6,900 7,200  
			 May 7,100 8,400  
			 June 7,100 6,200  
			 July 7,200 8,000  
			 August 7,800 7,400  
			 September 6,700 7,100  
			 October 7,400 7,600  
			 November 7,700 7,800  
			 December 7,600 8,700

Prisons

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners, and in which establishments do prisoners, eat their meals in their cells (a) every day and (b) more than half the week.

Hilary Benn: The information is not readily available in the form requested and I shall write to my hon. Friend once it is available. In many cases there will be the option for prisoners to eat meals in cell or while on association. Arrangements will also vary at different mealtimes.

Prisons

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what incentives are given to the operators of private prisons to reduce the rate of recidivism of the inmates they house.

Hilary Benn: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Matthew Taylor) on 17 March 2003, Official Report, column 588W.

Probation Services

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average change in (a) management, (b) maintenance of property and (c) hostel facilities costs for probation areas is in England and Wales in 2003–04.

Hilary Benn: The National Probation Directorate (NPD) does not have reliable data on the cost of management, maintenance of the commercial estate and hostels facilities in 2002–03 and therefore there is no realistic baseline by which any cost increase can be measured. The cost of management, maintenance of the commercial estate and hostels facilities in 2003–04 will not accurately be known until the end of the year when audited accounts are produced. The total revenue budget for 2003–04 is about £60 million for the commercial estate and about £14 million for the approved premises. This includes rents, rates, utility costs, depreciation and capital charges and also management and maintenance costs. The exact split of this budget for 2003–04 is still being determined as the NPD collects more accurate detailed data on costs. This will also depend on a number of factors, which will include the numbers and types of properties that are occupied and disposed of during the year and the extent of the repair and maintenance required.

Probation Services

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the change in (a) management, (b) maintenance of property and (c) hostel facilities costs for probation areas is for 2003–04 in (i) Avon and Somerset, (ii) Merseyside, (iii) West Yorkshire, (iv) Staffordshire, (v) Lancashire, (vi) Greater London, (vii) Kent and (viii) Thames Valley.

Hilary Benn: The National Probation Directorate (NPD) does not have reliable data on the cost of management, maintenance of the commercial estate and hostels facilities in 2002–03 by individual probation area and therefore there is no realistic baseline by which any cost increase can be measured. The cost of management, maintenance of the commercial estate and hostels facilities in 2003–04 by individual probation area will not accurately be known until the end of the year when audited accounts are produced. The total revenue budget for 2003–04 is about £60 million for the commercial estate and about £14 million for the approved premises. This includes rents, rates, utility costs, depreciation and capital charges and also management and maintenance costs. The exact split of this budget for 2003–04 between individual probation areas is still being determined as the NPD collects more accurate detailed data on costs. This will also depend on a number of factors, which will include the numbers and types of properties that are occupied and disposed of during the year and the extent of the repair and maintenance required to properties in each area.

Probation Services

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the status of the "What Works" programme in the national probation service.

Hilary Benn: An evidence-based approach to probation practice is essential if the National Probation Service's work with offenders is to be effective in reducing re-offending and improving public protection. "What Works" is therefore at the heart of the Director General's on-going change programme for the Service and is vital to its success.
	The National Probation Service has 13 accredited offending behaviour programmes with others in development. Other important elements of What Works include the introduction this year of Enhanced Community Punishment, the development of community re-integration approaches in relation to employment, training and education, and the development of a national case management framework. What Works is underpinned by the new Offender Assessment System, the implementation of which is well advanced.

Public Service Agreement Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what grades of officials are responsible for the monitoring of progress towards the public service agreement targets of the Department.

David Blunkett: Monitoring progress towards the department's targets is undertaken by a wide variety of staff at all levels of the organisation.

Staff Numbers

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff have (a) joined and (b) left his Department in the last six months, broken down by grade.

David Blunkett: I have placed the tables showing figures obtained from the centrally managed area of the Home Office, Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Merseyside Personnel Management area, the Prison Service Agency, Forensic Science Service, and the Passport and Records Agency in the Library. Both methods of entry to the Department and leaving methods have been grouped to show the broad methods.

Vehicle Crime Regulations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the Vehicle Crime (Registration of Registration Plate Suppliers) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply
	The regulations referred to introduce a minor amendment to correct a drafting error in the Vehicles Crime (Registration Plate Suppliers) (England and Wales) Regulations.
	The register of number plate suppliers has been operational since 1 January and over 30,000 retail outlets have registered. We have received numerous requests for clarification, but all the indications are that businesses are adjusting their procedures to comply with the new regulations.

Work Permits

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer of 12 March 2003, Official Report, column 310W, on work permits, how many individuals were granted a discretionary extension of stay for the purpose of work permit employment in the last two years where that individual did not meet the normal criteria.

Beverley Hughes: It is not possible to extract from the information recorded on the management systems used by Work Permits (UK) the figure showing the number of individuals who were granted a discretionary extension of stay for the purpose of work permit employment, where the individual did not meet the normal criteria.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Visually Impaired People

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what factors underlie the decision not to include a requirement for access technology for visually impaired people in the funding for the People's Network and UK online; what plans she has to include it; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will make it her policy to ensure that when public money is made available to libraries a proportion of it is allocated to library services and to access to books for visually impaired people; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what plans she has to ensure that the review of the Public Library Standards of England and Wales will ensure that there are specific requirements for library services to visually impaired people;
	(4)  what assessment she has made of the access to reading of visually impaired people; and what plans she has to assist the charities who work in this field to improve the level of access;

Richard Caborn: Applications for Capital Modernisation Funding (CMF) to support UK Online centres had to include access provision for those with physical, learning, or sensory disabilities. Successful bidders would have received appropriate equipment. UK Online includes a public libraries element, The People's Network, which is funded by the National Lottery through the New Opportunities Fund, allows each computer to be configured for those with visual impairments.
	In addition, 811 packages, made available to online centres, include large keyboards together with magnification and screen reading software, which incorporates voice output for text.
	The Office of the e-Envoy has also established a Working Group of those in the website design industry to improve accessibility and the Department for Education and Skills is investing significant sums to facilitate the implementation of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) which will broaden access to education, and educational material. The Copyright (Visually Impaired Persons) Act 2002 removes barriers to obtaining copyright clearance for voluntary bodies and educational establishments working on behalf of the visually impaired. A commencement order is expected to be made shortly.
	Current Public Library Standards encourage Library Authorities to provide effective, and relevant services reinforced by the creation of local targets which focus on important user groups including those with disabilities. A review of existing Public Library Standards will, of course, include consideration of how the standards should best reflect the needs of the visually impaired and other specialist users.
	Within the local authority Standard Spending Assessment there is block funding for cultural services, including Public Libraries. In accordance with the policy for local government, outlined in the White Paper "Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Service", there is no intention to 'ring-fence' funds to the public library service. Each local authority must use its own discretion when allocating funds in this area. No formal assessment of access to reading for the visually impaired has been made. The Government are committed to ensuring that disabled people can participate in every aspect of normal life, although, in considering public expenditure, the Government must also take into account a wide range of competing priorities. A number of different Government Departments have an interest in this policy area, and activity is wide and varied, including improving access to books and publications in alternative formats.
	The Director General of the RNIB has recently written to Government Departments setting out a series of recommendations and actions which he would like to see put in place. A meeting of officials from across Whitehall is planned for mid-May and, it is expected that an announcement of what assistance might be available will follow soon after.

Archaeology

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what rules are applied to people and organisations seeking to participate in archaeological work alongside major developments.

Kim Howells: Planning permission for major development works is granted by the relevant local authority, and it is for local authority archaeological officers to ensure that any archaeological conditions attached to planning permission are met, as set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 16. A specification is submitted to the local authority before any archaeological work is approved, which would include the competence and experience of those undertaking the work.
	The Government support the introduction of a voluntary code of conduct for archaeological investigations and English Heritage has already begun work to develop a voluntary code of conduct with Historic Scotland and Cadw.

Archaeology

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from academic centres of archaeology about the expertise of the people and organisations carrying out archaeological work alongside major developments.

Kim Howells: The Department has received no representations specifically on the expertise of people and organisations carrying out archaeological work alongside major developments, but is fully committed to maintaining high standards in the examination and recording of sites. The Government support the introduction of a voluntary code of conduct for archaeological investigations, and English Heritage has already begun work to develop a voluntary code of conduct with Historic Scotland and Cadw, which is being undertaken in consultation with all parts of the archaeological community.

Civil Service (People with Disabilities)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made in meeting targets for the proportion of people with disabilities in senior posts in the Department.

Kim Howells: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has set a target to have 5 per cent. of senior posts filled by people with disabilities by March 2005. Data on disability is collected on the basis of voluntary self-classification. There are currently no staff filling senior posts who have declared a disability. Some specialist senior posts are advertised in open competition in order to provide a wider pool of diverse applicants. An initial disability survey resulted in an 80 per cent. response rate and the Department will shortly be carrying out a mop-up survey to further improve on this.
	The Department participates in the Civil Service Bursary Scheme for People with Disabilities by offering senior mentors and by sponsoring those successful in securing a place on the scheme. The Department is also a member of the Cabinet Office Working Group on Disability. This year the Department will be hosting a number of graduate level work placements for people with disabilities, focusing its recruitment activity on attracting a wider pool of diverse applicants and running a number of awareness raising initiatives.

EU Committees

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU committee on the export of cultural goods, the number of times and the dates on which it has met since January 2002, the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, the decisions it has made since January 2002 and the means used to communicate these decisions to the House.

Richard Caborn: The UK officials who have attended Advisory Committee on Cultural Goods (ACCG) are Hillary Bauer, Head of the Cultural Property Unit, Grade A (formerly Principal), Department for Culture Media and Sport and Anne-Marie Dryden, Policy Adviser, Band 7, (formerly Higher Executive Officer) HM Customs and Excise. ACCG has met twice since January 2002, on 4 July 2002 and 30 January 2003. The agenda items for both meetings are as below. The ACCG acts as an advisory body to the European Commission and therefore does not of itself make any final decisions. Agenda: 4 July 2002
	1. Adoption of agenda;
	2. Approval of the minutes of the 10th meeting;
	3. Information on the accompanying documents or others used by the member states;
	4. Interpretation of the term "collection";
	5. Possible revision of the financial thresholds applicable to certain categories of cultural goods. Information on the result of the survey carried out with the member states;
	6. Guidelines for administrative co-operation between the competent authorities. Presentation of the document drawn up by the Working Party;
	7. Export authorisation form. Examination and possible approval of the new model adopted by the Working Party;
	8. Explanatory notes of the export authorisation form. Examination and possible approval of the guide developed by the Working Party;
	9. Information on the study undertaken on the traceability of cultural goods;
	10. Any other business.
	Agenda: 30 January 2003
	1. Adoption of the agenda;
	2. Approval of the minutes of the 11th meeting;
	3. Interpretation of the term "collection";
	4. Guidelines for administrative co-operation between the competent authorities;
	5. Export authorisation form. Examination and possible approval of the new model adopted by the Working Party;
	6. Explanatory notes of the export authorisation form. Examination and possible approval of the guide worked out by the Working Party;
	7. Information on questions concerning Directive 93/7 EEC
	8. Any other business.

Holidays in Britain

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support she is giving to the promotion of British food and drink within her campaign for Britons to holiday in Britain this year.

Kim Howells: VisitBritain's new domestic marketing campaign 'Enjoy England' was launched on 23 April 2003. The campaign features aspects of England's core products centred on the four key themes of experience, discovery, exploration and relaxation. There are many references in the campaign's promotional material to regional food and drink products and events. The VisitEngland website provides a full listing of annual food and drink events and festivals and provides links to details of Farmers' Markets by county.
	I also recently launched Visit Heart of England's Food and Drink Toolkit to further promote regional food and drink in the tourism sector.

Market Towns

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to preserve market towns.

Kim Howells: It is fundamental to the Government's policies for environmental stewardship that there should be effective protection for all aspects of the historic environment, including market towns. The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 provides specific protection for buildings and areas of special architectural or historic interest. The Government is currently undertaking a review of heritage protection legislation to improve the effectiveness of the current designation system, and to approach the designation and management of the historic environment more holistically.

Market Towns

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from heritage groups in the United Kingdom regarding the preservation of market towns.

Kim Howells: The Department has received no representations specifically on the preservation of market towns, but is fully committed to ensuring that all aspects of the historic environment are both valued and protected effectively.

Television Licence (Deaf People)

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to introduce a television licence fee for deaf people.

Kim Howells: The Government recognise the importance of access to television services for deaf people but believe this is best achieved by increasing the proportion of programmes that are subtitled and translated into sign language, rather than by introducing television licence fee concessions. There are already targets for subtitling on analogue and Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) and for signing on DTT. The Communications Bill extends these requirements to digital cable and satellite broadcasters for the first time. Amendments to the BBC Agreement will require the Corporation to observe Ofcom's code relating to provision for deaf and visually impaired people.

TRANSPORT

Air Safety

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures (a) are in place and (b) are proposed to ensure passenger safety in terms of the efficiency of aircraft cabin air-conditioning and filter systems.

David Jamieson: There are no Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requirements for airlines to fit air filtration systems to aircraft air-conditioning systems. However, most modern large airlines are fitted with High Efficiency Particulate Air filters as a matter of airline choice.
	Where filters are fitted, the CAA requires that airlines have in place a maintenance programme that ensures that air conditioning filters are used and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and that, when specified by the aircraft manufacturer, these airlines implement a reliability programme that monitors system performance to ensure that it does not fall below the manufacturer's limits.

Aircraft Noise

Alan Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the health risks associated with the impact of aircraft noise on people; and how many people he estimates have had their health affected by aircraft noise in the South East of England region.

David Jamieson: Available evidence suggests that aircraft noise, either at current levels or at the far higher levels experienced in the 1970s around Heathrow, has no detectable direct effect on the physical health of communities near airports. However, health may be interpreted more widely to encompass impacts upon quality of life, including sleep disturbance and serious annoyance otherwise caused. Some indication of the scale of annoyance is available from noise contours, which have substantially contracted at Heathrow and Gatwick over the past two decades or so (but have expanded at Stansted).
	Daytime contours for Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports in 2001 are available on the DfT website at www.aviation.dft.gov.iik/nec01/index.htm. Further information for these and other airports in the South East is available in the relevant consultation documents on the Future Development of Air Transport and supporting technical material.
	The Government are signatory to the WHO Charter on Transport, the Environment and Health, and have regard to the guidelines referred to therein.

Bull Bars

Rachel Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action she intends to take on bull bars following the consultation exercise carried out during the last Parliament; and if she will bring forward legislation for aggressive bull bars to be made illegal.

David Jamieson: The most effective way of controlling aggressive bull bars is via technical standards in European legislation.
	We have submitted a technical proposal, following UK research, to the Commission setting out how this could be achieved. We expect the Commission to bring forward its proposals on controlling bull bars later this year.
	In the meantime we welcome the commitment by the European Motor Industry to stop fitting rigid bull bars to new cars from 2002.

Bus Crime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Home Office, (b) the Metropolitan Police and (c) Transport for London regarding crime on buses in the London Borough of Havering; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Secretary of State meets with other Ministers and the Mayor of London from time to time to discuss a variety of transport issues, including those relating to safety and security on buses. Issues relating to crime on buses in London are primarily a matter for the Mayor of London and the Metropolitan Police Authority.

Goods Vehicle Operators Licences

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the application for a Goods Vehicle Operators licence in the Caerwent area of Monmouthshire; what representations can be submitted by parish or community councils with respect to such applications; and what representations have been received by Caerwent Community Council.

David Jamieson: The administration of the goods vehicle operator licensing system is the responsibility of statutorily independent Traffic Commissioners. A person may make representations against the grant of the licence application if they own or occupy land or buildings in the vicinity of a proposed operating centre. This can include parish or community councils.

Highways Agency (Illegal Encampments)

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what guidance is given to Highways Agency staff on illegal camping on agency property;
	(2)  when the Highways Agency was informed of the illegal occupation of their land at Foston, Derbyshire; and when the agency sought a notice to quit the site.

David Jamieson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Tim Matthews, to write to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Mark Todd, dated 6 May 2003
	The Transport Minister, David Jamieson, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking what guidance is given to Highways Agency staff on illegal camping on Agency property, when the Agency was made aware of the illegal occupation of its land at Foston, Derbyshire, and when it sought a notice to quit the site.
	Highways Agency staff are guided by the advice contained in Department of the Environment Circular 18/94 "Gypsy Sites Policy and Unauthorised Camping". That states that Gypsies should not be moved unnecessarily from unauthorised encampments when they are causing no nuisance.
	The Agency was first notified on 24 March that Gypsies had occupied the land adjacent to the A50/A511 in Foston. An assessment of the situation was carried out on 25 March, which concluded the Gypsies were creating a nuisance. Notices requiring them to vacate the site within 48 hours were served on 9 April. Treasury Solicitor was instructed to commence legal proceedings on 15 April and we anticipate the required papers will be lodged with the Court by 9 May.

Market Testing

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the estimated level of saving to the Department is from the use of market testing in 2002–03.

David Jamieson: My Department did not use market testing in 2002–03.

Motor Insurers Bureau

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanisms exist (a) for the regulation and (b) for the supervision of the Motor Insurers Bureau.

David Jamieson: The Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) is a Company Limited by guarantee which was set up and is managed by the Insurance Industry.
	There are long standing legally binding agreements between the Department for Transport and the MIB which provide compensation for the victims of accidents in which the other party is either an uninsured driver or an untraced driver (hit and run).
	The MIB administers those schemes according to those agreements. Officials in my Department have regular meetings with the management of the MIB to consider any issues arising from the agreements.
	The Board of Directors of the MIB supervise the affairs of the company in accordance with all applicable law.

Road Safety

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) recommendations and (b) advice are issued by his Department to local authorities wishing to introduce 20 mph speed restrictions in certain areas.

David Jamieson: Guidance and advice on the introduction of 20 mph speed limits and 20mph zones is contained in Circular Roads 05/99 and Traffic Advisory Leaflet 9/99. Responsibility for implementation rests solely with each local authority.

Traffic Commissioner for Wales

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to re-locate the Traffic Commissioner for Wales from Birmingham to Wales.

David Jamieson: There are no plans to re-locate the Traffic Commissioner for Wales from Birmingham to a location in Wales. However the Vehicle & Operator Services Agency business plan for 2003–04 makes it clear that there are plans to provide a Traffic Area presence at Llantrisant and Wrexham HGV test stations.

TREASURY

Employment

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which local authority areas have (a) less than 50 per cent., (b) 50 to 55 per cent., (c) 56 to 60 per cent., (d) 61 to 65 per cent.,(e) 66 to 70 per cent.,(f) 71 to 75 per cent., (g) 76 to 80 per cent., (h) 81 to 85 per cent. and (i) 86 to 90 per cent. employment rates.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Frank Field dated 6 May 2003
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment rates. (110687)
	I am placing in the House of Commons Library tables listing local authorities in the United Kingdom according to the specified ranges of employment rates for persons of working age.

Illegal Meat Imports

Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many sniffer dogs are trained to find illegally imported meat at (a) ports and (b) airports

John Healey: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs made clear in her written ministerial statement of 25 March 2003, Official Report, column 6WS, responsibility for anti-smuggling controls on the import of illegal meat and meat products has been transferred to HM Customs and Excise, with effect from 11 April 2003. This includes responsibility for the two fully trained dogs from the detector dog pilot based at Heathrow. Customs now plan to train four further dogs for this purpose. All of these dogs can be deployed at any port or airport in the UK.

Illegal Meat Imports

Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of containers arriving at British ports are scanned for illegally imported meat.

John Healey: The information requested is not available.
	Customs use a risk-based intelligence approach in selecting freight traffic for anti-smuggling checks. Because many of the risk factors are not commodity-specific, it is not practical to record these checks on a commodity basis.

Imperial Defence

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to investigate Imperial Defence for possible breaches of UK sanctions against Iraq.

John Healey: HM Customs & Excise are responsible for enforcing UK sanctions against Iraq. Customs are aware of a recent press report concerning Imperial Defence, in which there has been no suggestion of illegal acts.
	It is not Customs' general practice to comment publicly about the existence or nature of any investigations of individuals or companies not yet accused of criminal offences, as to do so could risk prejudicing any investigations (whether actual or likely) or future legal proceedings; Exemption 4 (Law enforcement and legal proceedings) of the Open Government Code applies.

Air Passenger Duty

Jim Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on offering lowered rate of air passenger duty to European countries; and on what basis (a) Switzerland is included and (b) Belarus is excluded.

John Healey: Since 1 November 2002, the lower rates of air passenger duty (£5 for the lowest class of travel and £10 for all other classes) apply not only to flights to European Economic Area (EEA) countries and certain European Union Member States' dependent territories, but also, as part of our policy of supporting EU enlargement, to all EU applicant countries (Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, and Turkey). The lower rates were also extended to flights to all airports in Switzerland. This corrected the anomaly that two Swiss airports—Basel and Geneva—qualified for the lower rates of duty (because passengers can exit from them directly to EEA territory), while other Swiss airports did not.
	Flights to Belarus do not qualify for the lower rates of air passenger duty because Belarus is not part of the EEA nor is it an EU applicant country, nor is there any anomaly such as existed in Switzerland prior to the November 2002 changes.

Annuities

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 10th March, Official Report, column 17W, on annuities, if he will establish an independent charitable trust charged with offering consumers non-compulsory free advice on the purchase of annuities.

Ruth Kelly: Help is already available to those buying an annuity in a variety of forms, and from a variety of sources. For example, many annuity providers and intermediaries offer information and advice to those buying annuities.
	As the Pensions Green Paper "Simplicity, Security and Choice: Working and Saving for Retirement" (Cm 5677) explained, action has already been taken to encourage consumers to shop around for the best annuity. As part of that process the Financial Services Authority has produced a fact sheet designed to supplement other guidance, and to help consumers assess what type of annuity would best suit their circumstances, or whether they need to seek further advice.

Asylum Seekers

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what adjustment for asylum seekers has been made to the International Passenger Survey Data in each of the years 1995 and 2002 to arrive at the net immigration estimates.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Nicholas Soames dated 6 May 2003
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on the adjustment forAsylum Seekers made to International Passenger Survey data in the years 1995 to 2002 to arrive at the net immigration estimates. I am replying in his absence. (111274)
	The adjustments made to the Intern In November 2002 ONS published interim revised net international migration estimates for the UK for 1992–2001. These superseded the previously published international migration estimates. The results of the 2001 Census showed that net migration to the UK had been overestimated between 1991 and 2001. The interim estimates include an adjustment equivalent to the average annual overestimation of net migration since 1991 indicated by the Census results, approximately 76,000 each year. The adjustment has been made to the overall net migration figures, so there is no separate adjustment for asylum seekers currently available.
	Revised international migration estimates for the years 1992 to 2001 will be published shortly. The methodology used to derive the number of Asylum Seekers, and other types of migrants not covered by the IPS, in the revised estimates will be made available at the same time. International migration estimates for 2002 will be published in late Autumn 2003.

Child Tax Credit

Michael Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many advertisements the Inland Revenue have placed on (a) local commercial radio broadcasting in Worcestershire and (b) local newspapers circulating in Worcestershire to promote the take-up of child tax credit and working tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue's national campaign to encourage take-up of child tax credit and working tax credit has used a variety of media including television, radio, online and national newspapers and magazines. There has also been some targeted local publicity to encourage claims for the child and working tax credits, although there has been no advertising on local commercial radio or in local newspapers specifically in the Worcestershire area.

Child Tax Credit

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families have made a successful application for the children's tax credit for (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) on 14 April 2003, Official Report, columns 547–548W.
	An estimate of the total number of families benefiting from the Children's Tax Credit in 2001–02 will be available from the Survey of Personal Incomes. This will be compiled towards the end of this year.

Construction Industry

Bob Laxton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on the Construction Industry Scheme of the introduction of the CIS 4/5/6 scheme in August 1999.

Dawn Primarolo: The introduction of the Construction Industry Scheme in August 1999 was successful in bringing in at least 75,000 previously unknown subcontractors and around £280 million additional Exchequer yield in 1999–2000. None the less complaints persist about the cumbersome processes and the costs to business of complying with the rules and requirements.
	As a direct consequence of these representations the Inland Revenue consulted on alternative proposals in November 2002 ("The Inland Revenue and the Construction Industry: Working together for a new scheme"). Following this consultation the Government announced in this year's Budget that a new scheme based on these proposals will be introduced from April 2005.

Construction Industry

Bob Laxton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department plans to replace the Construction Industry Scheme's Registration Card (CIS4), Construction Tax Certificate (CIS5) or Subcontractor's Tax Certificate (CIS6) with a simplified and single certificate.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government announced in this year's Budget that the Construction Industry Tax Scheme will be replaced in April 2005 in order to reduce the regulatory burden on the Industry. The key features are:
	To replace the Registration Cards (CIS4) and Gross Payment Certificates (CIS5 and CIS6) with an Inland Revenue verification service to tell contractors whether to pay net or gross of tax. This will mean that there will no longer be cards or certificates and therefore subcontractors will not have to spend time in travelling to present them.
	To replace vouchers with periodic returns to the Revenue of payments to subcontractors thus reducing the amount of paperwork required by the scheme.
	To introduce an employment status declaration to encourage the Industry to get the employment status of its workers right.
	I have asked the Inland Revenue to work closely with the Construction Industry on developing the detail.

Customs Officers

Simon Hughes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many customs officers were permanently based at each of the UK's airports on 1 January 2003.

John Healey: Customs' law enforcement staff are deployed on the basis of risk assessment and intelligence, and regularly move between ports and airports and inland locations. No details can be given of the number of officers deployed in individual locations at particular times; Exemption 4 (Law enforcement and legal proceedings) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information applies.

Earnings

Michael Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what analysis he has made of whether the assessment of earnings levels for (a) Worcestershire, (b) Dudley, (c) Walsall and (d) Sandwell in the New Earnings Survey are reliable and stable.

Nick Raynsford: I have been asked to reply.
	The criteria used by the Office for National Statistics to establish whether estimates of gross weekly pay from the New Earnings Survey are sufficiently reliable to publish are that the sample response should be at least 30 and the relative standard error of the mean should be less than 5 per cent. The published estimates for Worcestershire, Dudley, Walsall and Sandwell fully meet these criteria, as indicated in the following table.
	
		Sample sizes and relative standard errors for New Earnings Survey estimates of mean gross weekly pay(13) in April 2002
		
			  Sample response Relative standard error of the mean (Percentage) 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Worcestershire 890 1.9 
			 Dudley 559 2.4 
			 Walsall 394 2.8 
			 Sandwell 601 3.1 
		
	
	(13) For full-time adults whose pay was unaffected by absence during the pay period.
	Source:
	New Earnings Survey, ONS
	In terms of the stability of New Earnings Survey estimates over time, the survey is based on a 1 per cent. sample of employees comprising all those whose National Insurance numbers end with a specified pair of numbers (the same pair of numbers has been used since 1975). Those individuals for whom completed questionnaires are received in successive surveys constitute about 80 per cent. of the total. As such, the estimate of the change in average weekly pay between successive years is based largely on the changes in pay for individuals who were in the sample in both years.
	However, for small areas, the stability of estimates of mean pay over time can be more volatile, reflecting in part the underlying volatility of earnings, but also the variability associated with sampling.

Entertainment Costs

James Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he has entertained Labour hon. Members at public expense in the last 12 months; and at what cost.

Ruth Kelly: All entertainment by the Treasury is carried out fully in accordance with Paragraph 65 of the Ministerial code.

Equity Release

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many households have taken out equity release products in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many complaints regarding equity release products have been received in each of the last 10 years.

Ruth Kelly: We do not collect information on numbers of equity release products or complaints.

Financial Services Authority

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether the Financial Services Authority intends to conduct surveys to assess how consumer confidence in financial services products would be affected by the options put forward in the FSA's discussion paper 19;
	(2)  if the Financial Services Authority will provide a cost/benefit analysis for the three options discussed in the FSA's discussion paper 19;
	(3)  whether the Financial Services Authority will be publishing detailed estimates of the reductions in unit costs that would be offered by the options for pension regulation put forward in the FSA's discussion paper 19;
	(4)  what indication the Financial Services Authority has received from the financial services industry of the number of new savers with low incomes that would be likely to start saving as a result of the proposals laid out in the FSA's discussion paper 19;
	(5)  if he will make a statement on the response received from the Consumer Association to the Financial Services Authority Discussion Paper 19 on simplified investment products.

Ruth Kelly: The design of the sales process for the proposed new range of Sandier products is a matter for the Financial Services Authority. They will be taking forward the options set out in their Discussion Paper 19 in the light of responses received and in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

Fuel Levy

Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he estimates will be raised by the extra 1p levy on red diesel; and how much it will cost to provide the reduced tractor duty levy in a full year.

John Healey: The estimated yield from the increase in duty on rebated fuels of 1p above revalorisation is given in Table A.1 of this year's Financial Statement and Budget Report (HC 500), a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
	Budget 2001 abolished VED on tractors, similar agricultural vehicles and all other vehicles that previously qualified for a special concessionary VED rate; the cost of that exemption was estimated in Table A.11 of that year's Financial Statement and Budget Report (HC 279), a copy of which is also available in the Library of the House.

Home Reversion Schemes

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if his Department has consulted (a) industry and (b) consumer bodies about whether home reversion schemes should be regulated;
	(2)  what his policy is on whether home reversion schemes should be regulated.

Ruth Kelly: As announced in the Government's Green Paper on Pensions, the Government are looking at the options to create a level playing field for the regulation of equity release and home reversion plans to protect consumers and make the market work better. Treasury officials have since had informal discussions with a range of stakeholders. No decisions have yet been taken and an announcement will be made in due course.

Inactivity Rates

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the working age inactivity rate was by (a) region and (b) gender, in the last quarter of (i) 1992, (ii) 1997, (iii) 2001 and (iv) 2002; and how many people were inactive but looking for a job in each case.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 9 April 2003
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 6 May 2003
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question about economically inactive people of working age. (107920)
	The attached tables give the information requested for the three month periods ending February 1998, February 2002 and February 2003. These estimates are from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for which the winter quarter covers the months from December to February. Regional estimates for the three month period ending February 1993 are not currently available on a consistent basis. These will be available from 12 November 2003.
	
		Table 1: Working age(14) economic inactivity rates(15) by region and sex -- Percentage, not seasonally adjusted
		
			  December to February 
			 Government Office Regions 1992–03(16) 1997–98 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			  
			  
			 All 
			 United Kingdom 21.5 22.1 21.9 21.7 
			 North East — 26.5 26.3 27.4 
			 North West — 25.2 24.1 23.2 
			 Yorkshire & Humberside — 23.4 23.2 22.9 
			 East Midlands — 20.4 20.4 20.9 
			 West Midlands — 21.6 21.7 21.3 
			 East of England — 18.6 17.6 18.6 
			 London — 24.0 24.5 25.2 
			 South East — 18.1 17.3 17.6 
			 South West — 18.3 18.6 18.3 
			 Wales — 27.1 27.5 25.0 
			 Scotland — 22.7 22.5 21.1 
			 Northern Ireland — 26.7 29.2 26.4 
			  
			 Men 
			 United Kingdom 14.2 16.0 16.5 16.4 
			 North East — 20.2 22.3 22.9 
			 North West — 19.7 19.6 18.1 
			 Yorkshire & Humberside — 18.0 17.4 17.2 
			 East Midlands — 14.4 15.5 15.8 
			 West Midlands — 14.4 15.7 16.0 
			 East of England — 12.2 11.7 13.2 
			 London — 16.8 16.9 17.5 
			 South East — 11.5 11.8 12.6 
			 South West — 13.1 14.7 14.4 
			 Wales — 22.9 22.2 21.3 
			 Scotland — 18.0 18.5 17.2 
			 Northern Ireland — 18.1 22.1 18.0 
			  
			 Women 
			 United Kingdom 29.4 28.5 27.7 27.3 
			 North East — 33.2 30.4 32.2 
			 North West — 31.1 28.8 28.5 
			 Yorkshire & Humberside — 29.1 29.5 28.9 
			 East Midlands — 27.0 25.8 26.4 
			 West Midlands — 29.3 28.2 27.0 
			 East of England — 25.6 23.9 24.3 
			 London — 31.0 32.1 32.9 
			 South East — 25.1 23.2 23.1 
			 South West — 23.9 22.8 22.5 
			 Wales — 31.5 33.0 28.8 
			 Scotland — 27.6 26.6 25.2 
			 Northern Ireland — 35.8 36.6 35.2 
		
	
	(14) Men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59.
	(15) Economically inactive as a percentage of the working age population.
	(16) Regional data not available.Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey
	
		Table 2: Economically inactive people of working age(17) who are seeking work(18) by region and sex -- Thousand, not seasonally adjusted
		
			  December to February 
			 Government Office Regions 1997–98 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			  
			  
			 All
			 United Kingdom 186 181 175 
			 North East (19)— (19)— (19)— 
			 North West 23 21 19 
			 Yorkshire & Humberside 18 15 14 
			 East Midlands 15 10 (19)— 
			 West Midlands 18 11 13 
			 East of England 15 16 17 
			 London 27 28 32 
			 South East 23 27 21 
			 South West 13 14 14 
			 Wales (19)— 12 10 
			 Scotland 13 15 16 
			 Northern Ireland n/a n/a n/a 
			 Men
			 United Kingdom 81 86 81 
			 North East (19)— (19)— (19)— 
			 North West 12 13 (19)— 
			 Yorkshire & Humberside (19)— (19)— (19)— 
			 East Midlands (19)— (19)— (19)— 
			 West Midlands (19)— (19)— (19)— 
			 East of England (19)— (19)— (19)— 
			 London 12 11 19 
			 South East (19)— 10 (19)— 
			 South West (19)— (19)— (19)— 
			 Wales (19)— (19)— (19)— 
			 Scotland (19)— 10 10 
			 Northern Ireland n/a n/a n/a 
			 
			 Women
			 United Kingdom 105 94 94 
			 North East (19)— (19)— (19)— 
			 North West 11 (19)— 14 
			 Yorkshire & Humberside 10 (19)— (19)— 
			 East Midlands 10 (19)— (19)— 
			 West Midlands 10 (19)— (19)— 
			 East of England 11 (19)— 10 
			 London 15 17 13 
			 South East 14 16 13 
			 South West (19)— (19)— (19)— 
			 Wales (19)— (19)— (19)— 
			 Scotland (19)— (19)— (19)— 
			 Northern Ireland n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	(17) Men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59
	(18) Economically inactive people seeking work in the last 4 weeks but not available to start work in the next 2 weeks
	(19) Sample size too small for reliable estimaten/a—Data not availableSource:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Income Tax Rebate (Armed Forces)

Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what representations he has received to give members of HM armed forces serving in the Gulf an income tax rebate; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he plans to give an income tax rebate to members of HM armed forces serving in the Gulf; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The longstanding rule—recognised by successive Governments—is that Crown Servants, wherever they are serving, are chargeable to income tax on their Government salaries. We have no plans to change it.

Israel

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 10 April, Official Report, column 399W, on imported goods, for each year since the implementation of the EU/Israel Association Agreement, what was the sum value to importers of goods from Israel of the differential between the preferential duty rates applied under the Agreement and the average full duty rate for goods under verification; and if he will list the preferential duty rates on goods imported from Israel in the EU/Israel Association Agreement.

John Healey: HM Customs and Excise have no information on the amount of duty saved as a result of EU/Israel Association Agreement.
	The HM Customs and Excise Tariff lists both full and preferential rates of duty. As indicated in my answer on 10 April, a copy of the Tariff has been laid in the Library of the House. While the EU/Israel Association Agreement does specify duty rates, these are set out in terms of exemptions and percentage reductions rather than a list of rates.

National Insurance

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who will qualify to pay the reduced rate of national insurance; and whether they will qualify for the basic retirement pension.

Dawn Primarolo: Reduced rate contributions are paid by married women who, prior 11 May 1977, made an election to pay at the reduced rate, and whose election is still valid. Payment of married womens reduced rate contributions do not count towards basic state pension. However, these women will get a basic pension based on their husband's contributions when both have reached state pension age and made claims.

Red Diesel

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the annual sales have been in gallons of red diesel in each year since 1990; and what the annual tax take has been.

John Healey: Data for inland consumption (in litres) and duty receipts for red diesel can be found in HM customs and Excise Hydrocarbon oils Bulletin under the heading 'Gas Oil', which is published on the Statistical Bulletins page of HM Customs and Excise website at www.uktradeinfo.com.
	Quantities released for inland consumption (in gallons) and duty receipts for red diesel are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Years Quantities(Millions of Gallons) Duty Receipts(£ millions) 
		
		
			 1990 1,791 86 
			 1991 1,839 103 
			 1992 1,674 102 
			 1993 1,673 114 
			 1994 1,666 118 
			 1995 1,584 155 
			 1996 1,729 180 
			 1997 1,552 178 
			 1998 1,545 194 
			 1999 1,543 209 
			 2000 1,538 217 
			 2001 1,514 215 
			 2002 1,446 206

Resource Accounts

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when each of the resource accounts for 2001–02 were published; what the (a) greatest, (b) median and (c) least number of days that elapsed was between each of the resource accounts being laid formally upon the table and made generally available to the public; what the median number of days that elapsed was between each of the resource accounts for (i) 1999–2000 and (ii) 2000–01 being laid formally upon the table and made generally available to the public; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: Under the Government Resource Accounts Act 2000, the Treasury has the statutory responsibility to lay departmental resource accounts before the House of Commons. All accounts for 2001–02 were laid before Parliament by the statutory deadline of 31 January 2002. Departments are responsible for publishing resource accounts. The dates on which Departments' resource accounts for 2001–02 were laid and published are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 2001–02 HC No. Departments Laid Published Working days between laying and publishing 
		
		
			 1198 Armed Forces Pension Scheme—MOD 30 October 2002 30 October 2002 0 
			 295 British Trade International 29 January 2003 29 January 2003 0 
			 356 Cabinet Office 30 January 2003 30 January 2003 0 
			 355 Cabinet Office: Civil Superannuation 30 January 2003 30 January 2003 0 
			 294 Central Office of Information 30 January 2003 30 January 2003 0 
			 360 Charity Commission 30 January 2003 30 January 2003 0 
			 181 Crown Estate 18 December 2002 18 December 2002 0 
			 1239 Crown Prosecution Service 30 October 2002 30 October 2002 0 
			 5671(20) Customs and Excise 11 December 2002 11 December 2002 0 
			 9 DCMS 20 November 2002 20 November 2002 0 
			 47 Defence—MOD 21 November 2002 21 November 2002 0 
			 253 Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 29 January 2003 28 February 2003 22 
			 363 Department of Health 30 January 2003 17 February 2003 12 
			 1200 Department of National Savings and Investments 23 October 2002 23 October 2002 0 
			 316 Department for Education and Skills 30 January 2003 30 January 2003 0 
			 341 Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 30 January 2003 18 February 2003 13 
			 48 DfID 27 November 2002 27 November 2002 0 
			 272 DfID—Superannuation Pensions 22 January 2003 22 January 2003 0 
			 146 Department for Work and Pensions 30 January 2003 07 February 2003 6 
			 280 Department for Trade and Industry 29 January 2003 29 January 2003 0 
			 1061 ECGD 23 July 2002 23 July 2002 0 
			 324 FCO 30 January 2003 30 January 2003 0 
			 163 Food Standards Agency 29 January 2003 29 January 2003 0 
			 284 Forestry Commission 29 January 2003 29 January 2003 0 
			 285 Forestry Commission Pension Scheme 29 January 2003 29 January 2003 0 
			 1087 GAD 10 July 2002 11 July 2002 1 
			 168 HM Treasury 29 January 2003 29 January 2003 0 
			 364 Home Office 31 January 2003 28 March 2003 40 
			 71 Inland Revenue 09 December 2002 09 December 2002 0 
			 365 Intervention Board Executive Agency 30 January 2003 Not yet published — 
			 314 Lord Chancellors Department 29 January 2003 31 January 2003 2 
			 70 National Investment and Loans Office 27 November 2002 27 November 2002 0 
			 319 NHS Pension Scheme (England and Wales) 30 January 2003 30 January 2003 0 
			 358 Northern Ireland Court Service 30 January 2003 Not yet published — 
			 279 Northern Ireland Office 30 January 2003 30 January 2003 0 
			 1110 Office for National Statistics 22 July 2002 22 July 2002 0 
			 986 Ofgem 26 June 2002 26 June 2002 0 
			 35 Ofsted 27 November 2002 27 November 2002 0 
			 301 Oft 30 January 2003 30 January 2003 0 
			 46 Oftel 27 November 2002 27 November 2002 0 
			 1182 Ofwat 16 October 2002 16 October 2002 0 
			 1201 Orr 31 October 2002 31 October 2002 0 
			 354 Postal Services Commission 30 January 2003 30 January 2003 0 
			 325 Privy Council Office 30 January 2003 30 January 2003 0 
			 11 Public Records Office 18 November 2002 18 November 2002 0 
			 282 Registry of Friendly Societies 30 January 2002 30 January 2002 0 
			 52 Scotland Office 17 December 2002 17 December 2002 0 
			 368 Security and Intelligence Agencies 30 January 2003 05 February 2002 4 
			 366 Royal Mint 30 January 2003 05 February 2003 4 
			 367 Serious Fraud Office 30 January 2003 31 March 2003 42 
			 315 Teachers Pension Scheme 30 January 2003 30 January 2003 0 
			 237 Treasury Solicitors 08 January 2003 08 January 2003 0 
			 292 UK Atomic Energy Authority—DTI 29 January 2003 29 January 2003 0 
			 318 Wales Office 29 January 2003 29 January 2003 0 
		
	
	(20) The accounts for HM Customs and Excise were presented to Parliament in Command 5671—as recorded in HOC 530.
	As at 25 April 2003, that is excluding those Departments which had not published their resource accounts by that date, the greatest, median and least number of working days elapsing between departmental resource accounts for 2001–02 being laid formally upon the table and made generally available to the public are 42, 0 and 0 respectively. There are two accounts for 2001–02 still to be published and the Treasury is following these up with the Departments concerned.
	The median number of days which elapsed between each of the departmental resource accounts for 1999–2000 and 2000–01 being laid formally upon the table and made generally available to the public are 21 and 2 respectively (this compares to the median of 1 day for 2000–01 accounts quoted in my predecessor's answer of 30 April 2002, Official Report, column 722W, as a result of further Departments' resource accounts being published after that date).

Savings Gateway

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the savings gateway is open to anyone living in the pilot areas who is entitled to the new child tax credit; and if he will make a statement on eligibility, with particular reference to how the measure of income used in determining the level of a tax credit is defined.

Ruth Kelly: Eligibility to participate in the Saving Gateway pilots is not determined by entitlement to the new child tax credit and is therefore unaffected by the measurement of income used in determining the level of child tax credit. Eligibility for a pilot Saving Gateway account is dependent on individuals of working age satisfying one of the following conditions:
	Household earnings of less than £15,000 if an individual has children or a disability.
	Individual earnings of less than £11,000 if an individual does not have children or a disability.
	Individual is out of work and receiving benefits.
	Further development of the Saving Gateway will be made in light of evaluation evidence.

Savings Gateway

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Savings Gateway accounts have been opened in each of the five pilot areas.

Ruth Kelly: At the end of April 2003, 835 Savings Gateway accounts had been opened with savings of almost £60,000. The following table shows how many accounts have been opened in each pilot area.
	
		
			 Pilot Area Number of accounts 
		
		
			 Cambridgeshire 115 
			 Cumbria 148 
			 Gorton 97 
			 Hull 231 
			 Tower Hamlets 244

Smuggling

Lembit �pik: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of a 40 per cent. reduction in anti-smuggling staff in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Modern smuggling is carried out by well-organised, well-financed and highly adaptable criminal groups who use ever more sophisticated methods. To tackle them, Customs are building more intelligence-led, flexible and mobile teams capable of far greater impact than the smaller, static, predictable and less productive teams that, in some locations, they will replace.
	The changes are designed to improve the effectiveness of Customs Law Enforcement in Wales. Customs' impact on smugglingrather than the number of officers maintained in fixed locationsis the most important factor in these changes. The actual numbers to be deployed in Wales will match the assessed risk.

Sustainable Timber

Joan Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 24 March, Official Report, column 64W, on sustainable timber products, what efforts are made to check that companies listed on the OGC buying solutions website as supplying sustainable furniture and timber products are in fact supplying sustainable furniture and timber products; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: Any supplier claiming to supply sustainable furniture and timber products is expected to provide relevant evidence of this, including for example details of independent third party certification. Should evidence become available that any company included on an OGCbuying.solutions framework agreement has knowingly obtained timber products from an unsustainable source they would be removed from the published list.

Sustainable Timber

Joan Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 24 March, Official Report, column 64W, on sustainable timber products, on the basis of what information the list of companies supplying sustainable furniture and timber products is supplied; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: Suppliers on the list have successfully tendered on a value for money basis for inclusion in OGCbuying.solutions framework agreements and offer sustainable furniture and timber products. Where possible, third party independent evidence from organisations such as the Forestry Stewardship Council and the Timber Research and Development Association is provided.

Tax Credits

Si�n Simon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claims for tax credits were outstanding on 6 April 2003 which were submitted (a) online using the internet and (b) on paper, and received by the Inland Revenue on or before 31 January 2003.

Dawn Primarolo: About 2.7 million claims for child tax credit and working tax credit were received by the end of January 2003, including 255,000 online.
	Awards are already being paid except in the small proportion of cases where further information is needed to make a decision on the claim. In these cases the Inland Revenue should already have been in touch with claimants to ask for that further information.

Tax Credits

Tony Colman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Putney constituency he estimates will benefit from the new family tax credit over the coming financial year.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Andrew Dismore) on 14 April, Official Report, column 539W.

Tax Credits

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many advertisements the Inland Revenue have placed on (a) local commercial radio broadcasting in Buckinghamshire and (b) local newspapers circulating in Buckinghamshire to promote the take up of (i) child tax credit and (ii) working tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue's national campaign to encourage take-up of Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit has used a variety of media including television, radio, online and national newspapers and magazines. There has been some targeted local publicity to encourage claims for the Child and Working Tax Credits, although there has been no advertising on local commercial radio or in local newspapers specifically in Buckinghamshire.

Tax Credits

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people he estimates in the Buckingham constituency are eligible for (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit; and how many people he estimates will take up these credits.

Dawn Primarolo: In the South East of England, 670,000 families are expected to receive the Child Tax Credit and 140,000 families are expected to receive the Working Tax Credit (including some who also get the Child Tax Credit).

Tax Credits

Vera Baird: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the first figures from the Inland Revenue will be released to show the percentage take up of tax credits by constituency.

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates of take up rates are not available below the national level. Statistics on the number of Child and Working Tax Credits awards will be published quarterly, beginning in August 2003.

Tax Credits

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families he expects will be eligible for the (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit in 200304.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 1 May 2003
	A total of 6 million families are expected to receive the new tax credits. This total is made up of around 5.75 million families with children and 250,000 families without children.

Tax Credits

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households' entitlements to (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit will be reassessed in the current financial year.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) on 28 April, Official Report, column 162W.

Tax Credits

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households have applied for (a) child tax credit, (b) working tax credit and (c) both; and how many of these households are eligible for (i) child tax credit, (ii) working tax credit and (iii) both.

Dawn Primarolo: There is a single form for these tax credits. By 28 April 2003, over 4 million families had claimed. In addition, 1.3 million families with children on Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance are already benefiting from the increased level of support and will be transferred to Child Tax Credit by October 2004.
	Statistics on the Child and Working Tax Credit will be published quarterly, beginning in August 2003. The first set of statistics will cover awards at early July 2003.

Tax Credits

Linda Perham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in the London Borough of Redbridge are eligible for child tax credits.

Dawn Primarolo: In London 700,000 families are expected to receive the Child Tax Credit.

Tax Credits

Tom Cox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people living in the London Borough of Wandsworth are eligible to claim the working families tax credit; and how many award notices have been issued to families in the borough.

Dawn Primarolo: In London 700,000 families are expected to receive the Child Tax Credit. 130,000 families are expected to receive the Working Tax Credit (including some who also are also expected to receive the Child Tax Credit). Statistics on the number of Child and Working Tax Credit awards will be published quarterly, beginning in August 2003. The first set of statistics will cover awards at early July 2003.

Taxation

Richard Bacon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on which taxes have risen since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: All changes to taxation since 1997 are set out in the relevant Financial Statement and Budget Reports, which are available in the library of the House.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Connexions

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many staff were employed in the Connexions Service National Unit at the time of its establishment; and what the number is now

Ivan Lewis: The Connexions Service National Unit was set up between July 2000, when the Chief Executive took up post, and April 2001, when the first Connexions Partnerships went live. There were 168 staff in post on 01 April 2001.
	As well as supporting the delivery of Connexions, CSNU also has responsibility for other Youth Support Services such as Millennium Volunteers, Neighbourhood Support Fund, the Voluntary and Statutory Youth Service. More recently, the Unit has also assumed responsibility for implementation of the DfES volunteering strategy; the DfES strategy on involving children and young people (Listening to Learn); the department's relationship with the voluntary and community sector (including the cross cutting review of the voluntary sector with HMT and Home Office) and the Summer/Diversionary Activities Programme. There are currently 187 staff in post.

Overseas Pupils

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children of parents from overseas with permission to study in the UK are being educated in maintained schools.

Stephen Twigg: From the most recent statistics available, in the academic year 2001/02, there were 193,849 full-time and 37,796 part-time undergraduate and post graduate overseas students at UK universities and colleges. It is not possible to determine how many of these students have children because there is no requirement on local education authorities to provide the Department with this information.

Apprenticeships

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people enrolled in programmes of advanced and foundation modern apprenticeships in the three months prior to 1 January 2003; and how many people were in programmes on that date.

Ivan Lewis: The latest information on starts is for the period from August 2002 to October 2002. This information, along with the number of learners on modern apprenticeship programmes on 1 November 2002 is given in the following table:
	
		
			  FMA AMA Total 
		
		
			 Starts from August to October 2002 45,900 22,600 68,500 
			 In Learning on 1 November 2002 120,800 113,300 234,100

Beacon Schools

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have (a) become Beacon schools and (b) lost Beacon status in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority.

David Miliband: The Beacon programme was introduced in September 1998. The programme started with 75 schools, increasing to almost 1,150 schools in six subsequent expansion phases by September 2002. 34 schools have since left the programme for various reasons. A detailed breakdown is contained in a table, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries.

Bullying

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions he has had with representatives of teachers and lecturers about teachers and lecturers being bullied by colleagues or parents of students; and what action he intends to take.

Stephen Twigg: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State meets representatives of the teacher unions regularly and various issues are discussed in the meetings.
	We are very concerned to help schools and colleges prevent all bullying. Teachers, lecturers and students all have a right to work in an atmosphere free from intimidation and harassment. We have made available A Legal Toolkit for Schools which gives advice on remedies available when teachers are facing threatening or abusive behaviour from other adults. The Government also have a commitment to continue to work with managers and employees to address problems caused by bullying in the workplace, from employers or fellow employees, on which my colleagues at the Department of Trade and Industry lead.

Class Sizes

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average infant class size in Buckinghamshire was in each year since 1997.

Stephen Twigg: The available figures are shown in the table.
	
		Maintained primary schools: infant class sizes taught by one teacherPosition in September each year
		
			  Average infant class size 
		
		
			  Buckinghamshire local education authority 
			 1998 27.3 
			 1999(21) 23.6 
			 2000 23.2 
			 2001 23.4 
			 2002 23.8 
		
	
	(21) Less than 95 per cent. of expected returns were received in this year.
	Source:
	September Class Size Count

Departmental Annual Report

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the annual report of her Department will be published.

Charles Clarke: The spring 2003 departmental reports are to be published between 28 April and 16 May 2003. We will publish our departmental report within this window, and are aiming for 14 May 2003.

Education Settlement

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills from which schools he has received representations about this year's education settlement, broken down by education authority.

David Miliband: The Department for Education and Skills has received a large amount of correspondence concerning education budgets for the current financial year from both schools and local education authorities, as it does each year. It is not possible to collate this information without incurring disproportionate cost.

Further and Higher Education

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 16 to 18-year-olds in the Hemsworth constituency in education have gone on to (a) further education and (b) higher education in each of the last five years; what percentage these figures represent of the total number in the area; and what the national average was for such persons.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 28 April 2003
	The information is as follows:
	(a) Data on the percentage of students participating in post-compulsory education is not calculated for areas smaller than LEAs as reliable estimates cannot be made. Participation rates at sub-national level are only available for 16 and 17-year-olds.
	Hemsworth constituency is part of Wakefield LEA. The percentage of 16 and 17-year-olds participating in full-time further education for Wakefield LEA and England in each of the last five years for which data are available, is set out in the table.
	
		Participation in full-time further education -- Percentage of age group
		
			Year end 
			   1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 16-year-olds Wakefield LEA 64 70 64 69 67 
			  England 70 70 70 71 71 
			 17-year-olds Wakefield LEA 53 50 51 51 54 
			  England 57 57 57 58 58 
		
	
	Note:
	Population data do not include any revisions following the 2001 census.
	Source:
	DfES Statistical Bulletin, published 16 December 2002
	Participation rates by LEA for 16 and 17-year-olds are published in an annual statistical bulletin, Participation in Education and Training by 16 and 17-Year-Olds in Each Local Area in England. This bulletin is available on the departmental website www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics.
	(b) Figures for the number of students who enter higher education are not collated centrally on a constituency basis. Hemsworth constituency is part of Wakefield LEA. The proportion of students domiciled in Wakefield LEA and England, aged 18 and accepted through UCAS to full- time undergraduate courses in the UK is given in the table.
	
		
			  17-year-old population 18-year-olds accepted to HE Proportion entering higher education (percentage) 
		
		
			 Wakefield LEA
			 Autumn 1997 entry 3,800 656 17.1 
			 Autumn 1998 entry 4,000 682 17.2 
			 Autumn 1999 entry 3,800 595 15.5 
			 Autumn 2000 entry 3,900 610 15.8 
			 Autumn 2001 entry 4,000 749 18.8 
			 
			 England
			 Autumn 1997 entry 601,100 123,070 20.5 
			 Autumn 1998 entry 619,700 124,087 20.0 
			 Autumn 1999 entry 612,100 122,640 20.0 
			 Autumn 2000 entry 601,000 123,618 20.6 
			 Autumn 2001 entry 610,900 131,254 21.5 
		
	
	Note:
	Participation rates have been calculated using the 17-year-old population from the previous year to reduce the distortion caused to LEA populations by the migration of students to their place of study. Accepted applicants with unknown English domiciles are excluded from the figures. Population figures relate to persons aged 17 at 31 August in the year prior to entry, counts taken at the following 1 January; accepted applicants are aged 18 at 30 September in the year of entry.

Further and Higher Education

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 16 to 18-year-olds in Shrewsbury and Atcham are in further education.

Margaret Hodge: Data on the percentage of students staying on in full-time education are not calculated for areas smaller than LEAs, as reliable estimates cannot be made. Participation rates at sub-national level are only available for 16 and 17-year-olds.
	Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency is part of Shropshire LEA. The percentage of 16 and 17-year-olds participating in further education and training for Shropshire LEA in 2000, the latest year for which figures are available, is set out in the table. Separate figures are shown for those in full-time further education, and those in further education or Government Supported Training.
	
		Participation in education and training in 2000 for Shropshire LEA -- Percentage of age group
		
			  Full-time education Total education and training(22) 
		
		
			 16-year-olds 72 87 
			 17-year-olds 62 79 
			 16 and 17-year-olds combined 67 83 
		
	
	(22) Includes participation in full and part-time further education qualifications, and in Government Supported Training, counting those in both education and Government Supported Training only once.
	Note:
	Population data do not include any revisions following the 2001 census.
	Source:
	DfES Statistical Bulletin, published 16 December 2002.
	Participation rates by LEA for 16 and 17-year-olds are published in an annual statistical bulletin, Participation in Education and Training by 16 and 17 Year Olds in Each Local Area in England.

Further and Higher Education

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of students in college in Shrewsbury and Atcham successfully completed their further education courses in the last year for which figures are available.

Margaret Hodge: The information is not available in exactly the format asked for, but retention and achievement rates are available. Figures on retention and achievement for further education institutions are published by the Learning and Skills Council. Figures in the following table show further education institutions in Shrewsbury and Atcham. Additionally, the table also covers other further education institutions in the Shropshire Learning and Skills Council area. The table covers 2000/01, the latest year for which data are available.
	In-year retention rates measure the percentage of those students who, having enrolled on a learning programme of at least 12 weeks duration, continue to attend at the end of the qualification or the end of the teaching year (31 July), whichever is sooner. Separate information is shown for full-time full-year (described as full-time), and full-time part-year and part-time students (jointly described as part-time).
	Achievement rates measure the total number of qualification aims achieved, expressed as a percentage of the total number of qualification aims for which students have completed the learning programmes.
	
		Percentage
		
			  In-year retention rates 
			 2000/01 Full-time Part-time Achievement rate 
		
		
			  Further education institutions in Shrewsbury and Atcham 
			 Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology 87 88 81 
			 Shrewsbury Sixth Form College 97 92 91 
			 
			  Other FE institutions in Shropshire Learning and Skills Council 
			 Ludlow College 97 86 81 
			 New College, Telford 92 88 81 
			 Telford College of Arts and Technology 89 87 87 
			 Walford and North Shropshire College 89 84 92

Further and Higher Education

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average level of funding was for each student in each college in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. I have therefore asked John Harwood, the Council's Chief Executive, to write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and to place a copy of his reply in the Library.

Further and Higher Education

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average annual repayment of debt (a) to the Student Loans Company and (b) to others was of a higher education student graduating in each year since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: Borrowers become liable to repay their loans from the April after they finish or leave their course, depending on their earnings. Students who started their course before academic year 1998/99 repay their loans on a mortgage style basis. The table shows the average repayment of mortgage style student loans in financial years 19992000 to 200102 (the latest year available) for borrowers who became liable to repay their loans in the financial years 199899 to 200102 and who are making repayments; the table excludes any voluntary repayments made by borrowers before becoming liable to repay their loans.
	Students who started their course from the 1998/99 academic year will repay income contingent loans. Repayments of income contingent loans, apart from voluntary repayments and repayments from overseas borrowers, are made through the tax system. The scheme started in April 2000 and details of repayments are notified to the Student Loans Company by the Inland Revenue from the end of the relevant financial year. Therefore complete data on the average repayment of income contingent loans are not yet available.
	
		
		
			 Financial yearentered repayment Mortgage style student loans(23),(24)Averagerepayments made during financial year(25),(26),(27) 
			 status(28),(29) 199900 200001 200102 
		
		
			 199899 530 580 610 
			 19992000 490 600 650 
			 200001 (30) 570 680 
			 200102 (30) (30) 640 
		
	
	(23) Loans available to borrowers who entered higher education before academic year 1998/99, and those who entered in 1998/99 to whom the existing arrangements applied. These loans are repayable on a fixed term basis, over 5 or 7 years depending on length of course, if the borrower's income exceeds the repayment threshold.
	(24) Includes repayments on debts sold in the two portfolios of student loans which are administered by the Student Loans Company.
	(25) Data are not available on repayments by cohort made in financial year 199899.
	(26) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	(27) Excludes those who have made no repayment because of deferment.
	(28) The table excludes any repayments made by borrowers before entering repayment status.
	(29) Borrowers are liable to repay their loans from the April following their graduation or otherwise leaving their course.
	(30) Not applicable.
	Source:
	Student Loans Company
	Data on repayments of other debt for which there is no private subsidy, such as overdrafts, credit cards and informal debt to family and friends are not available centrally.

Further and Higher Education

Hilton Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 17 March 2003, Official Report, column 57172W, on student fees, when the chief executive of HEFCE will supply the information about franchising arrangements.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 29 April 2003
	The Department has now received the most up-to-date information about students franchised from higher education institutions from HEFCE. The information has been placed in the Library.

Further and Higher Education

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the review of the possibility of post A-level entry to higher education will be completed.

Margaret Hodge: In response to the Tomlinson report into A-level standards, we said in the Higher Education White Paper that the Department for Education and Skills would work with higher education institutions, schools, colleges and awarding bodies to explore the way forward on this issue. Discussions are now taking place and are due to be completed later this year.

Further and Higher Education

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the study by Professor Schwartz on assessment of the merit of applicants to higher education will be available.

Margaret Hodge: I will make an announcement shortly.

Further and Higher Education

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what criteria will apply to fees review within the quinquennial access agreement term, with particular reference to the position of existing students.

Margaret Hodge: The access agreement will set out how the institution plans to evolve its variable fee policies over the duration of the agreement. If an institution wants to make changes beyond those already noted in the access agreement, it will notify the Office for Fair Access OFFAwhich, depending on the scale or extent of the change proposed, will decide whether to call in the proposal for reconsideration.

Further and Higher Education

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the unit of funding was for each student in (a) 200001, (b) 200102 and (c) 200203; and what the planned figure is for 200304 at 200102 prices.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 9 April 2003
	The figures for publicly planned funding per full time equivalent student in higher education at 2001 prices and in cash terms are shown in the table.
	
		(31)
		
			  200001 200102 200203 (32)200304 
		
		
			 Publicly planned funding per FTE real terms 2001 prices 4,980 5,020 5,050 5,200 
			 Publicly planned funding per FTE cash terms 4,860 5,020 5,170 5,450 
		
	
	(31) Rounded to the nearest 10.
	(32) Plans

Further and Higher Education

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he plans to substitute the harmonised European inflation index for the retail prices index in the calculation of liabilities for student loans.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	There is no change proposed in our calculation of liabilities for student loans.

Further and Higher Education

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he plans to offer the raised income threshold for student loans available from April 2005 to existing income-contingent loans.

Margaret Hodge: The proposed change in the income threshold for repaying income-contingent loans from 10,000 to 15,000 in April 2005 will benefit existing borrowers and new students. It will benefit existing graduates because those earning below 15,000, will no longer be liable to make repayments, and those earning above 15,000 will have a reduction in their repayments.

Further and Higher Education

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what guidance the new Office for Fair Access will issue on admissions procedures for universities;
	(2)  what measures the Office for Fair Access will use to enforce guidance it issues on admissions.

Margaret Hodge: Individual universities' admissions policies and procedures will be outside the remit of the access agreement and the Office for Fair Access (OFFA). We have asked Professor Schwartz, Vice-Chancellor of Brunel University, to lead a team to identify good practice in admissions. We expect one of the results of this work to be a statement of principles about admissions which we hope all universities will adopt. Those wishing to charge a higher tuition fee will wish to demonstrate to OFFA that they subscribe to these principles.

Graduate Entrepreneurship

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on his Department's plans to establish a National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship, and the level of funding to be made available for the scheme.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 1 May 2003
	I have been asked to reply.
	The Government seek to ensure their undergraduates and new graduates are aware of the opportunities available to them to back their ideas and participate in business.
	The Small Business Service, in conjunction with the Department for Education and Skills, will shortly be undertaking a feasibility study on this.

Individual Learning Accounts

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in what circumstances compensation will be payable from public funds to training providers in the light of the withdrawal of individual learning accounts; and what the estimated cost of such payments is.

Ivan Lewis: As a result of a recent report by the Parliamentary Ombudsman on a complaint from a learning provider, the Department has decided, in line with Government Accounting guidance, to offer compensation to registered Individual Learning Account (ILA) learning providers in respect of those learners who properly applied to open accounts before 24 October 2001; were committed to purchase ILA eligible learning with a specific learning provider; and who had not been issued with account numbers by the time the system closed down at 6.30 pm on 23 November 2001, subject to the provision of appropriate evidence.
	It is very difficult to estimate the likely cost as it is uncertain how many of these learners would have been committed to learn with a specific learning provider. The cost is estimated to be in the range of 2 million to 7 million with expectations being at the lower end.

Learning and Skills Council

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received about the School Organisation Proposals by the Learning and Skills Council for England Regulations.

Margaret Hodge: The Department consulted widely for three months last September on the School Organisation Proposals by the Learning and Skills Council for England Regulations together with associated guidance. The response to the consultation was generally supportive of the new regulations. We made available a summary of the responses to the consultation on the Department's website on 12 February 2003.
	The following is a list of the names and organisations of those who responded to our consultation.
	List of respondents to the consultation on the school organisation proposals by the learning and skills council for England
	Anonymous 1
	Anonymous 2
	Archdiocese of Westminster
	Association of Colleges
	Association of Greenwich Governors
	Bath and North East Somerset Council
	Blackpool Borough Council
	Boswells College, The
	Bournemouth Borough Council
	Bracknell Forest Borough Council
	Brighton and Hove City Council
	Buckinghamshire County Council
	Catholic Diocese of Nottingham
	Catholic Education Service
	Cheshire County Council
	Clarendon School
	De Montfort University
	Devon County Council
	Diocesan Board of Education (Blackburn)
	Diocesan Board of Education (Durham)
	Diocesan Board of Education (Leicester)
	Diocesan Board of Education (Oxford)
	Diocesan Board of Education (Rochester)
	Diocesan Board of Education (Southwark)
	Diocesan Board of Education (Truro)
	Diocesan Board of Education (Winchester)
	Diocesan Schools Commission
	Diocese of Lancaster Education Service
	Dixon, Christine
	Dorset LEA
	Foundation and Aided Schools National Association
	Hammersmith and Fulham LEA
	Hampshire County Council
	Hartlepool LEA
	Hessle High School
	John Jamieson School
	Lancashire LEA
	Learning and Skills Council
	Lincolnshire County Council
	Liverpool City Council
	Local Government Association
	London Borough of Haringey
	London Borough of Hounslow
	Manchester Metropolitan University
	Medway Council
	Merton LEA
	Middlesbrough College
	National Association of Governors and Managers
	National Association of Headteachers
	National Association. of Independent Schools and Non-Maintained Special Schools
	National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers
	National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations
	National Union of Teachers
	North East Lincolnshire LEA
	North Yorkshire LEA
	Northumbria University
	Nottinghamshire LEA
	Oxford Governors' Association
	Oxfordshire County Council
	Rochdale LEA
	Rotherham MBC
	Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
	School Organisation Committee (Bedfordshire)
	School Organisation Committee (Bradford)
	School Organisation Committee (Cambridge)
	School Organisation Committee (Camden)
	School Organisation Committee (Dorset)
	School Organisation Committee (Hampshire)
	School Organisation Committee (Kent)
	School Organisation Committee (Leeds)
	School Organisation Committee (Liverpool)
	School Organisation Committee (Northumberland)
	School Organisation Committee (Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead)
	School Organisation Committee (Sandwell)
	School Organisation Committee (Stockton-on-Tees)
	School Organisation Committee (Warrington)
	School Organisation Committee (West Berkshire)
	School Organisation Committee (Wigan)
	Scope
	Secondary Heads Association
	Slough Borough Council
	South Gloucestershire LEA
	Southampton LEA
	St Bernard's Convent School
	Staffordshire University
	Stockton Borough Council
	Surrey County Council
	Surrey Institute of Art and Design
	Telford  Wrekin LEA
	Torbay LEA
	Tower Hamlets LEA
	Trinity School
	University of Salford
	Wolverhampton LEA

Learning and Skills Council

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on recent changes in the senior management team at the Learning and Skills Council.

Margaret Hodge: John Harwood is retiring after three successful years as chief executive of the LSC. He has been a key figure in building a new learning system which will support a prosperous economy and an inclusive society. He has performed an immense service to this country and leaves a considerable legacy behind him for which we are very grateful. John will continue to drive forward LSC business until a successor has been appointed, and the LSC will be advertising for this post shortly.

Learning and Skills Council

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to align the financial year of the Learning and Skills Council with (a) the standard financial year and (b) the academic year.

Margaret Hodge: All public sector bodies have 31 March as their financial year end, and in the case of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), this is specified by statute. Public funding is allocated to the LSC by financial years, but it plans and funds the bulk of its provision on an academic year basis, as this best meets the needs of the key providers involved. There are no plans to re-align the LSC's financial year.

Learning and Skills Council

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what percentage of (a) the applicants to serve on the National Learning and Skills Council and (b) the successful applicants declared political activity for the Labour Party;
	(2)  what percentage of the membership of the National Learning and Skills Council has declared political activity for the (a) Labour, (b) Conservative and (c) Liberal Democrat Party.

Margaret Hodge: In the first and subsequent appointments rounds, there have been 969 applications for National Council positions. This included applications for the Chair, the Chief Executive and Council Member positions. 102 of these applicants have declared political activity (as defined by the Office for the Commissioner of Public AppointmentsOCPA) for the Labour party. This represents 10 per cent. of the total applicants. Of these, 39 applicants declared that they have, or have had, experience as an elected councillor.
	There are up to 16 positions available on the Council at any one time (including Chair and Chief Executive). Because of turnover of Council Members, a total of 21 positions have been available since the outset, and of these, six have declared Labour Party activity.
	None declared political activity for either the Conservative or Liberal Democrat parties.
	Appointments to the LSC are made through fair and open competition, in accordance with guidance issued by OCPA. Working with the LSC we have sought to attract applications from individuals with a wide range of appropriate experience, regardless of any declared political activity.

Literacy

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment has been made of the number of adults unable to read and write to an adequate level; what plans he has to improve literacy; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Moser Report (1999) indicated that around 7 million adults in England have poor literacy skills, and that even more have a problem with numbers. The Department has commissioned a new representative sample survey of working age adults in England to provide an up-to-date assessment of the scale of literacy and numeracy need. These estimates will be mapped to the new national basic skills standards and will be published in summer 2003.
	In March 2001, the Government launched Skills for Life, the national strategy for improving adult's literacy and numeracy skills. The strategy aims to improve the basic skills of 1.5 million adults by 2007 by boosting demand for learning, ensuring the capacity of basic skills training, raising standards in teaching and learning, and increasing learner achievement. Between April 2001 and July 2002, 300,000 adults improved their literacy, language or numeracy skills.

Mature Students

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of higher education students entitled to receive the proposed new maintenance grant are estimated to come under the category of mature students.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is currently not available. I refer my hon. Friend to the response given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) on 6 February 2003, Official Report, column 357W.

Mature Students

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what financial support is available for mature students undertaking a full-time degree course at university with no earnings from any source.

Margaret Hodge: We have greatly increased the financial support available to mature students. Nearly 250 million is being spent in 2002/03 on support for students with particular financial needs, including mature students, compared to 124 million five years ago.
	Under the Education (Student Support) Regulations eligible full-time mature students without earnings have all of their tuition fees paid from public funds. In the academic year 2003/04, they may also receive a student loan of 4,000, or 4,930 if studying in London, to assist with their living costs.
	Statutory provision also includes additional grants for students with dependent children. The childcare grant pays 85 per cent. of actual child care costs covering the whole year. In the academic year 2003/04, a student parent with one child may receive a child care grant of up to 5,967 whilst students with two or more children may receive up to 8,840. A new parents' learning allowance of up to 1,300 a year is also available to students with dependent children to assist with course-related costs.
	Access and hardship funds and hardship loans are discretionary support available through institutions of higher education for students who may need extra financial support for their course. Mature students are a priority group for this support and are assessed according to their individual needs.
	Our White Paper The future of higher education proposes a number of new measures to provide more up-front support for students from less well-off backgrounds and to ensure that all students have sufficient support throughout their courses.

Modern Languages Courses

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what efforts his Department is making, through reform of the 1419 curriculum, to increase the number of entrants aged under 21 years to modern languages courses at higher education institutions in the UK.

David Miliband: We are committed through our National Languages Strategy to increasing the number of higher education students taking modern foreign languages as all or part of their degree, by increasing the opportunities available to them to do so. Students who continue to study languages post 14 are more motivated and more likely to continue studying a modern foreign language into higher education. So we are requiring all [maintained] secondary schools to ensure that modern foreign languages remain available to any 1416 year old pupil who wishes to study them. Our goal is to move to a position where young people are motivated to study modern foreign languages, rather than being forced to do so.

Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he has had with (a) the Home Office, (b) the Local Government Association and (c) representatives of local education authorities on the implementation provisions contained in sections 36 and 37 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Twigg: Discussions with the Home Office continue on a regular basis. Representatives from local education authorities for the areas where accommodation centres have been proposed and from the Local Government Association attended meetings with officials from the Department for Education and Skills and the Home Office on 20 August 2002, 20 September 2002, 14 October 2002 and 15 January 2003.

NUT Conference

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received following the recent National Union of Teachers Conference.

David Miliband: My right hon. Friend has received no such representations.

NUT Conference

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the recent National Union of Teachers Conference.

David Miliband: My right hon Friend set out publicly on 18 February 2003 his reasons for not attending the National Union of Teachers' conference. Beyond this, the annual conference and other internal affairs of the National Union of Teachers are a matter for its membership.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

David Miliband: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 10 April 2003, Official report, column 400W.

Private Finance Initiative

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills who will cover PFI repayments on schools closed before the end of the repayment period.

David Miliband: Closure of a school which is part of a PFI contract would represent partial or full termination of the contract, depending on whether it was a grouped or single schools project. Termination of a contract would not lead the Government to reassess the level of revenue support due to a local authority, other than in exceptional circumstances.

Qualifications

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of working age people in the constituency of Buckingham hold a qualification at degree level or equivalent; and what the national average is.

Margaret Hodge: The latest available figures from the Local Area Labour Force Survey 2001 show that the proportion of people of working age resident in the constituency of Buckingham who hold a qualification at NVQ level 4 or above is 29.9 per cent., with a 95 per cent. confidence interval of 26.6 per cent. to 33.2 per cent. This compares to a figure of 23.7 per cent. for Great Britain. NVQ level 4 covers degrees, HMDs and other undergraduate qualifications.

SATs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what advice he will be issuing to teachers regarding SATs for the under 12s.

David Miliband: The National Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Arrangements booklets for Key Stage 1 and 2 are issued to schools in October of each year. The booklets contain important information about the administration of the National Curriculum tasks, tests and teacher assessments.

SATs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he will be taking regarding teachers who boycott SATs for under 12s.

David Miliband: My right hon. Friend opposes any form of action that will harm children's education. Any action taken against such teachers would be an internal disciplinary matter for their employer.

School Exclusions

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on provisions to deal with excluded pupils (a) under 11 and (b) aged 11 to 16 in North Shropshire.

Ivan Lewis: Shropshire Local Education Authority offers all permanently excluded pupils of compulsory school age in North Shropshire full-time educational provision, where appropriate, after 15 school days. The provision would typically involve either an alternative school, the tuition service or, for older pupils, a shared placement arrangement with the further education sector and other providers. Schools set and mark work for pupils they exclude for short fixed period, and also during the early stages of a longer exclusion. For longer fixed period exclusions, schools will involve the LEA as necessary in planning for the child's return. The nature, management and organisation of provision for excluded pupils is a matter for the LEA having regard to pupils' individual circumstances.

School Standards

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent on projects and initiatives to (a) improve behaviour in schools and (b) increase standards in rural schools since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: Funding for both behaviour improvement and to increase standards in rural schools comes from a wide variety of sources and to varying degrees of aggregation with funding to support other areas of activity. It is not therefore possible in either case to give discrete total figures. Key contributions on behaviour-related initiatives have been the around 560 million (including Government grant and LEA contributions) allocated through the Standards Fund between 19972003 and the 50 million provided to targeted LEAs since September 2002 to improve behaviour and attendance. Specific contributions on rural schools have included some 56 million of funding for rural Excellence Clusters and rural EAZs. Many rural schools are also small schools and benefit from the Small Schools Fund, which was set up in 2001 by the merging of two previous grants (the Administrative Support Fund for Small Schools and the Small School Support Fund). The Small Schools Fund is worth a total of 80 million a year.

Secondments

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many civil servants have been seconded from his Department to (a) the private sector, (b) NGOs and (c) other, broken down by (i) grade of civil servants seconded, (ii) location and (iii) dates of secondments, in each year since 199798.

Charles Clarke: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

Special Educational Needs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on his policy towards the inclusion in mainstream schools of children with Down's syndrome.

Ivan Lewis: There is a clear Government commitment to the inclusion of children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream education. The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 was a major milestone in promoting inclusion for children with disabilities or SEN, including those pupils with Down's syndrome.
	There is a general duty to educate children with special educational needs in mainstream schools unless this is against their parent's wishes or incompatible with the efficient education of other children and there are no reasonable steps that can be taken by the LEA or the school to prevent that incompatibility. However, for some children a mainstream placement may not be right, or not right just yet and therefore provision in special schools will continue to play a vital role.
	Education Law does not distinguish between different types of SEN. Children with Down's syndrome will vary as widely in their development and progress as typically developing children and each will have their own talents and aptitudes. The degree of an individual child's SEN will be the determining factor of the type of provision required to meet their needs.

Staff Union Duties

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many staff in his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies receive paid leave to undertake union duties; how many days they are allocated; and what has been the cost to public funds in 2002.

Stephen Twigg: During 2002, 18 staff received a total of 495 days leave to undertake union duties at a total cost to public funds of 44,000.
	These figures represent the maximum leave allowance which may be granted in each year of 25 days or 40 days for members of Trade Union National Executive Committees and Councils for individuals engaged in trade union business in DfES.
	There are no members of National Executive Committees or Councils in NDPBs for which DfES is responsible.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Child Contact

Margaret Moran: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what progress has been made in implementing the commitments given to both Houses on the issue of child contact during the Adoption and Children Bill proceedings.

Rosie Winterton: The Adoption and Children Bill received Royal Assent on 7 November 2002. The Adoption and Children Act was published on 9 December 2002 with explanatory notes following in early January 2003.
	My Department with colleagues from the Department of Health are considering plans for the implementation of the main provisions of the Act. However, some elements are considered priority commitments such as the definition of 'harm' in relation to domestic violence: we have begun consultation on amendments to the Family Proceedings Rules 1991 (Domestic Violence).

EU Committees

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will list (a) the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU committee on the development and consolidation of democracy and the rule of law and on the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms, (b) the number of times, and the dates, on which it has met since January 2002, (c) the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, (d) the decisions it has made since January 2002 and (e) the means used to communicate the decisions to the House.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	The EU Committee on Human Rights and Democracy meets four times a year and is composed of representatives of member states. Delegates from the 10 EU accession states have been invited to attend as observers from the next meeting in June. Officials from the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office represent the UK Government on the Committee. The main task of the Committee is to allocate EU budget resources to human rights and democracy projects in third countries and subsequently to evaluate the activities funded. In 2002, a total of 96,493,818 euros (62,254,076) was allocated for projects worldwide. Funding covered three main areas, as follows:
	
		
			 Number of projects Amount  
		
		
			 66 projects (as a result of calls for proposals) 47,264,594 euros Four areas: support for the abolition of the death penalty, fighting impunity and promoting international justice combating racism and discrimination against ethnic minorities and the prevention of torture and rehabilitation of torture victims 
			
			 51 projects (joint programmes with partners such as international organisations or national authorities) 41,379,224 euros Projects funded included election observation and assistance, support for International Penal Tribunals and establishment of the International Criminal Court and the development and consolidation of democracy and the rule of law. 
			
			 15 projects (with local NGOs and civil society groups) 7,850,000 euros Democratisation activities 15 targeted countries to deepen support for local civil society initiatives. 
		
	
	As the Human Rights and Democracy Committee is a management committee and no legislative decisions are taken, final funding decisions are not communicated to the House. However information about all the activities of the Committee and the operation of the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights is on the Europe Aid website. (http//europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/ddh/ddh en.htm)

Legal Aid

Edward Garnier: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what estimates the Lord Chancellor's Department has made of departmental expenditure on legal aid in asylum and immigration cases for (a) 200001, (b) 200102 and (c) 200203; and what the originally budgeted expenditure was for those years.

Rosie Winterton: Expenditure on legal help in asylum matters was 76.4 million in 200001; 124 million in 200102; and is estimated to be 168 million in 200203. This excludes expenditure on judicial reviews.
	There has not historically been a separate budget for immigration and asylum matters. The Lord Chancellor directs what may be spent on legal help as a whole. However, it was anticipated prior to the beginning of each financial year that 65.7 million would be spent in 200001; 84.3 million in 200102; and 160 million in 200203.
	Actual expenditure exceeded anticipated expenditure, particularly in 200102 because of changes introduced to speed up the process of dealing with applications.

Legal Aid

Edward Garnier: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what estimates the Lord Chancellor's Department has made for departmental expenditure on all legal aid in the magistrates courts for (a) 200001, (b) 200102 and (c) 200203; and what the originally budgeted expenditure was for those years.

Rosie Winterton: There is no separate budget for legal aid in the magistrates courts as it forms part of the overall legal aid budget. However in 200001, legal aid in the magistrates courts was expected to be 259 million. Actual expenditure was 232.9 million.
	Since 200102, legal aid in the magistrates courts has become part of the General Criminal Contract which also includes advice and assistance and the duty solicitor schemes. Under the Contract it is not possible to separately identify expenditure in the magistrates courts.
	In 200102 Expenditure under the General Criminal Contract was expected to be 461 million. Actual expenditure was 508.3 million. In 200203 it was expected to be 460.2 million. Actual expenditure is provisionally estimated to be 526.6 million*.
	* This figure may be subject to adjustments.

Legal Aid

Edward Garnier: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the budgeted departmental expenditure is on (a) legal aid in asylum and immigration cases for 200304 and (b) all legal aid in the magistrates courts for 200304.

Rosie Winterton: Budgeted expenditure for asylum and immigration cases for 200304 is yet to be agreed by Ministers. All expenditure for asylum and immigration cases (including legal aid), will now for the first time fall under a single asylum fund, to be agreed between my Department, the Home Office and the Treasury.
	There is no separate budget for legal aid in the magistrates courts as it forms part of the overall legal aid budget. However, magistrates courts legal aid expenditure falls within that for the General Criminal Contract, which covers all levels of service up to and including representation in the magistrates courts. Currently we expect to spend around 525 million in 200304.

HEALTH

Child Protection

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have disappeared from care in each year since 1997; what measures are in place to ensure children remain in care; what assessment has been made of where children go when they disappear from care; what measures are in place to try to keep track of their whereabouts; and if he will make a statement about the safety of children who disappear from care.

Jacqui Smith: The number of children who were listed as being missing from care in England since 1997 is shown in the table. Excluding children looked after under a series of short-term placements, it is estimated that in 200102 some 82,200 children were looked after in public care at some time during the year.
	
		Estimated number of looked after children who went missing from their usual place of residence at any time during the years ending 31 March 1998 to 2002(33)
		
			 England Number 
		
		
			 199798 560 
			 199899 550 
			 19992000 540 
			 200001(34) 940 
			 200102(34) 960 
		
	
	(33) Data describes the number of children who went missing not the number of missing person's incidents by any one child.
	(34) With effect from 1 April 2000, the definition of missing was changed from being absent for more than seven days to being absent for 24 hours or more.
	Notes
	This table excludes all children looked after under a series of short-term placements.
	Children Missing from Care and Homea guide to good practice was issued to every English local authority in November 2002, under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970, which means that, except in exceptional circumstances, councils must follow its advice. The guidance requires that where a child in care is assessed to be missing, the authority responsible for their care must ensure that all is being done to locate them and return them to a place of safety. Where there is reason for an authority to be concerned that a child may go missing at the time that a care placement is made, then the guidance recommends that the authority should ensure that there is a proper risk assessment as to the likelihood of that child going missing. This assessment should lead to action being taken to minimise any potential risk. Each local authority must appoint a senior manager to be responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of its missing from care protocols and procedures.

Child Protection

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what part his Department has played in respect of child protection issues in the Home Office taskforce on child protection and the internet.

Jacqui Smith: The Department of Health has, at official level, been represented on the Home Office task force on child protection on the internet since its establishment in 2001.

Child Protection

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specialist assistance is available for child victims of trafficking for exploitation; what plans he has to ensure that social services staff have training on child trafficking; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The provision of assistance and support to child victims of trafficking should be secured by local statutory services in response to identified needs, whether provided directly or through specialist agencies. The relevant statutory agencies include the immigration service, the police, social services and health, which, collectively, have the responsibility to safeguard and protect the health and welfare of vulnerable children and to prevent and detect crimes against them.
	The National Occupational Standards for Social Work were published by the training organisation for personal social services in 2002. The occupational standards describe the skills and knowledge social workers need in the area of child protection. It is for employers to ensure that their staff have these skills.

Accident and Emergency Services

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given to the NHS about the involvement of reception staff in triage.

David Lammy: The Department has not issued any specific guidance to the national health service about the involvement of reception staff in triage.

Accident and Emergency Services

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many accident and emergency departments have only one resident doctor specialising in A and E on duty at night; and to which grade in each case the doctor is trained.

David Lammy: The Department does not collect the information requested.
	The number of staff, including medical staff in accident and emergency departments, is a matter for local determination and may vary in the light of anticipated demand and the skills and experience of all professionals working in, or on call to, the emergency team.

Acute Care (East Kent)

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the terms of reference are for the Independent Review Panel examination of the future of acute health care in East Kent.

Hazel Blears: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 30 April 2003, Official Report, columns 42728W.

Adoption Regulations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about the Voluntary Adoption Agencies and Adoption Agencies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations.

Jacqui Smith: The Voluntary Adoption Agencies and Adoption Agencies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2003 were finalised after taking into account the 39 responses to the public consultation held between 25 September and 19 November 2002.
	A summary of the consultation responses will be published on the Department's website.
	No formal representations have been received since the Regulations were made on 25 February 2003. However, departmental officials have received a small number of inquiries from voluntary adoption agencies concerning the transfer of their registration to the National Care Standards Commission.

Asthma

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to reduce the cost of asthma treatment to asthma sufferers in England; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: People, including those suffering from asthma, are entitled to free prescriptions if they are aged under 16, or under 19 and in full time education, or aged 60 or over, or they (or their partner) are receiving income support, income based jobseeker's allowance or are named on a national health service tax credit exemption certificate. They may also claim help under the NHS low income scheme. Subsequently, over 85 per cent. of all NHS prescription items are dispensed free of charge on the grounds of age or income level. We have no plans to change these arrangements.
	Patients who pay NHS prescription charges may benefit from using a prescription prepayment certificate. This may be particularly helpful if a patient requires a lot of or regular prescriptions. A four-monthly certificate costs 32.90 and an annual certificate costs 90.40. Prescription payment certificate holders pay no further charge at the point of dispensing and there is no limit to the number of items the holder may obtain with the certificate.

Asthma

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of people with asthma had at least an annual review of their condition in the last year for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: Information on the treatment an individual patient receives is not collected centrally.
	Under the terms of the chronic disease management programme for asthma, general practitioners are required to prepare with the patient an individual management plan. The question of the frequency of review is a purely clinical one and will depend on the circumstances of the individual patient.

Audiology (Wandsworth)

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what extra money has been made available to Wandsworth Primary Care Trust for audiological services in each of the past three years.

John Hutton: The Department has not yet made extra money available to Wandsworth Primary Care Trust (PCT) as part of the modernising hearing aid services project. St. George's Hospital, Tooting, is expected to join the modernisation programme this financial year and funding will be made available to cover all capital costs and 75 per cent. of revenue costs involved in that modernisation. St. George's already has access to the national health service contract for digital hearing aids and has been providing digital hearing aids with funding from Wandsworth PCT's general allocation.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust regarding the appointment of a new Trust chairman.

David Lammy: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no discussions about this. The appointment of chairs and non-executives to the boards of national health service trusts is a matter for the NHS Appointments Commission. Other than setting the standard criteria against which all candidates are judged, Ministers have no part in this process.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust regarding the changes in management of the trust.

John Hutton: I have had no discussions with Barking, Havering and Redbridge National Health Service Trust regarding the changes in management of the trust.
	The appointment of a new chief executive is a local matter and the North East London Strategic Health Authority is working with the trust to ensure a smooth transition to the new management.

Care Funding

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have contacted the Health Service Ombudsman regarding their failure to receive continuing care funding for a relative.

Jacqui Smith: According to the Ombudsman's office, since the publication of the Health Service Ombudsman's report on NHS Funding for Long Term Care on the 20 February, 3,849 people had contacted them by the end of April, either asking for a continuing care complaints form or with inquiries about the report.

Health Services (Hemsworth)

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of chiropody services in the Hemsworth constituency.

Jacqui Smith: Primary care trusts now have the responsibility for improving the health of the community, securing the provision of high quality services, and integrating health and social care locally. They have the resources to commission services, and to identify the number of professional staff that they need to deliver those services. This process provides the means for addressing local needs within the health community including the provision of chiropody services.

Health Services (Hemsworth)

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the availability of digital hearing aids in (a) Hemsworth constituency and (b) West Yorkshire.

Jacqui Smith: Audiology services in the Hemsworth constituency are provided through the Mid Yorkshire National Health Service Trust, which is not yet providing digital hearing aids through the modernising hearing aid services (MHAS) project. Following the announcement, on 7 February, of an additional 94 million to ensure that all NHS hearing aid services are providing digital hearing aids by April 2005, all trusts not yet involved were invited to indicate the preferred timing for modernisation. Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust has applied for modernisation in 200304. A firm timetable for modernisation will be agreed between the trust and the MHAS project management team shortly.
	Of the other audiology services in West Yorkshire, Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust have been fitting digital hearing aids, as part of MHAS, since 2001. Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust has applied for modernisation in 200304 and the audiology department in Airedale has yet to indicate a preferred date. The Royal National Institute for the Deaf has now written to all trusts who have not given a preference for full modernisation and will be pursuing them.

Health Services (Hemsworth)

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there is a teenage cancer unit which serves young people in the Hemsworth constituency.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 28 April 2003
	Children's cancer services are provided at the St. James's University Hospital, which is part of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Trust. The hospital also houses a specific teenage and adolescent cancer unit, which serves the Hemsworth area.

Health Services (Hemsworth)

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients waited more than (a) three months, (b) six months, (c) nine months, and (d) 12 months for (i) heart operations, (ii) cancer treatment and (iii) hip replacements in each NHS hospital trust in the Hemsworth constituency in each year since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 28 April 2003
	Information relating to waiting list and booked admissions where patients waited more than three months, six months, nine months and 12 months for selected diagnoses and operations in the Hemsworth area is shown in the table.
	
		Number of elective admissions
		
			  199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Cancer 
			 3 months 3,986 4,728 3,845 3,365 3,661 
			 6 months 1,890 2,382 1,632 1,393 1,624 
			 9 months 1,115 1,345 788 719 864 
			 12 months 608 635 336 310 383 
			 Total 33,595 37,531 39,277 35,865 37,291 
			   
			  Heart diseases   
			 3 months 4,530 5,306 5,121 5,401 5,330 
			 6 months 2,792 3,267 2,844 2,998 2,774 
			 9 months 1,764 2,293 1,747 1,782 1,672 
			 12 months 1,065 1,153 915 825 671 
			 Total 11,521 12,010 12,664 12,660 12,818 
			   
			  Heart operations   
			 3 months 1,777 2,180 2,398 2,700 2,860 
			 6 months 1,052 1,156 1,163 1,471 1,388 
			 9 months 577 849 741 949 861 
			 12 months 354 339 441 467 311 
			 Total 4,035 4,667 5,601 5,845 6,628 
			   
			  Hip replacement   
			 3 months 756 889 929 924 983 
			 6 months 492 572 628 647 656 
			 9 months 288 372 364 379 404 
			 12 months 152 198 171 171 167 
			 Total 1,123 1,227 1,278 1,282 1,378 
		
	
	Notes:
	Figures in this table have not yet been adjusted for shortfalls in data.
	Waiting time statistics from HES are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. HES provides counts and waiting times for patients admitted to hospital within a given period whereas the published waiting list statistics count those waiting for treatment at a given point in time and how long they have been on the waiting list. Also, HES calculates the waiting time as the difference between the admission and decision to admit dates. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension.
	Cancer COO-D48 (ICD 10)
	Heart Diseases 100199 (ICD 10)
	Heart Operations K01-K71 (OPCS 4R)
	Hip Replacement W37-W39 (OPCS4R)
	The Hemsworth area is defined by HA areas QDD Bradford, QDH Leeds, QDQ Wakefield and QDT Calderdale and Kirklees.
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.

Civil Service (People with Disabilities)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in meeting targets for the proportion of people with disabilities in senior posts in the Department.

David Lammy: The current number of senior staff in the Department of Health who have declared disabilities is nine. This represents 2.38 per cent. of the staff in senior posts.
	Our target for the year 200405 is 3 per cent.
	The Department is taking a number of steps to increase the number of people with disabilities in senior posts in the Department:
	The use of open competition to provide a wider pool of diverse applicants for senior posts.
	Operating the guaranteed interviews under the two ticks scheme for disabled applicants.
	Support for a disabled staff network, which reports to the Chief Executive on a regular basis. This group is currently considering potential initiatives for the European Year of Disabled People.
	Access to specialist software and other adjustments tailored to the needs of individual members of staff who are disabled.
	The Department recently re-surveyed its work force to identify the numbers of disabled staff and is currently represented on a Cabinet Office working group, which is considering disability data collection issues, including non-declaration.

Cystic Fibrosis

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will waive prescription charges for those with cystic fibrosis; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Our policy is to give priority to helping people who may have difficulty in paying charges, rather than extending the exemption arrangements to people with other medical conditions including cystic fibrosis. We have no plans to change the current charging arrangements.

Cystic Fibrosis

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to screen new born babies for cystic fibrosis; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: In April 2001, the Government announced their intention to implement a new national programme for neonatal cystic fibrosis screening. Work commissioned by the Department of Health to plan for the national provision of cystic fibrosis screening using the Guthrie Bloodspot card will be considered by the UK National Screening Committee who will look at costs, feasibility, timetables and links to antenatal programmes.

Dental Care (Prisoners)

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each prison the average waiting time to see a dentist for prisoners (a) experiencing dental pain and (b) requiring a routine appointment.

Jacqui Smith: Those prisoners experiencing dental pain receive treatment without delay, where necessary accessing outside services. Information about routine dental treatment is not comprehensively available. For specific treatments, prisons report waiting times of between one and 55 days.

Disabled Children

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what guidance his Department gives to local authorities about charging for domiciliary care services to disabled children;
	(2)  how many local authorities are charging for services to disabled children; and what criteria they are using for doing so.

Jacqui Smith: The legal position, as set out at section 29 of the Children Act 1989, is that where a local authority provides services, with the exception of advice, guidance or counselling, they may make such charges for that service as they consider reasonable.
	The Government recognise that this may put undue pressure on low income families and this is why the Act provides that no one receiving income support, any element of child tax credit other than the family element, working tax credit or an income-based jobseeker's allowance is liable to pay a charge. The local authority will take into account the means of the family in each case. Local authorities may not require parents to pay more than is reasonable.
	It is a matter for local authorities as to whether or not a charge is made and, if so, how much any charge might be. We have not issued new guidance to local authorities since 1991 (paragraph 238 of the Children Act Guidance, Volume 2). This guidance covers services provided under Part III of the Children Act 1989 which includes domiciliary care.
	The Department of Health does not collect data about the number of local authorities charging for these services and therefore has no central information about the criteria used by local authorities to make such charges.

Eligibility Criteria

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many authorities have (a) reviewed their eligibility criteria and (b) altered their eligibility criteria following the Health Service Ombudsman report HC399; and what assessment he has made of the number of people who are entitled to receive compensation following local authority reviews of continuing care criteria;
	(2)  what estimates his Department has made of the amount owed to individuals following continuing care eligibility criteria reviews.

Jacqui Smith: All Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) have considered whether continuing care criteria in use in their area since 1996 were consistent with the Coughlan Judgment. Since August 2002 they have also been aligning criteria across each SHA, a process which should be complete by this summer.
	It is not as yet possible to give an estimate of the number of people entitled to receive compensation or the estimated cost.

Entertainment Costs

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he has entertained Labour hon.Members at public expense in the last 12 months; and at what cost.

David Lammy: No meetings have taken place at public expense.

Ethnic Monitoring

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of (a) setting up and (b) maintaining the ethnic monitoring programme required by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the percentage of those registered with general practitioners who have (a) not responded to questionnaires for ethnic monitoring and (b) responded to ethnic monitoring questionnaires but declined to give details of ethnic or religious groups.

John Hutton: The Department of Health does not collect this information centrally.
	The collection of ethnic monitoring information is incorporated as an additional data item in existing national health service information systems, hence the cost of collecting this information cannot be disaggregated out from the total cost of NHS information.
	The Department does not currently require general practitioners to collect ethnic monitoring information.

GP Contracts

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the average change in income received by a GP's surgery as a result of the proposed GP contract; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: holding answer 28 April 2003
	The new contract for general medical services negotiated between the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association and the NHS Confederation provides for an unprecedented level of additional investment in primary care services. If the contract is accepted, overall investment in England would rise by 33 per cent. The proposed Minimum Practice Income Guarantee will also mean that no practice loses out, provided it is achieving 100 quality points in 200405 and 150 in 200506. Most practices will see a substantial rise in gross income. The average increase will depend on what services general practitioner practices provide and the level of quality they achieve.

GP Contracts

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the impact the Carr Hill Resource Allocation formula will have on the budgets of GP practices;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the progress made with the implementation of the new contract for GPs;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the use of nominal lists rather than actual lists for the determination of resources allocated to GP practices.

John Hutton: holding answers 28 April 2003
	The new contract for general medical services, negotiated between the NHS Confederation and the general practitioners committee (GPC) of the British Medical Association, was published on 26 February. Following the distribution, by the BMA in mid-March, of details of individual practice weighted populations, the GPC announced that it was postponing the ballot of its members on the contract so that concerns being raised about funding arrangements could be addressed.
	The new allocation formula, adopted by the negotiators, will distribute resources according to patient needs. It takes account of six determinants of practice workload and circumstances:
	Patient gender and age for frequency and length of surgery and home visit contacts
	Patient gender and age for nursing and residential home consultations
	Morbidity and mortality
	Newly registered patients
	Unavoidable costs of rurality, to take account of population density and dispersion
	Unavoidable higher costs of living through a market forces factor applied to all practice staff.
	The negotiators have confirmed, in a letter issued on 17 April, that they remain committed to the principle of redistributing resources according to patient needs as will happen with the new formula. They have also reconsidered how income protection can best be delivered, through a minimum practice income guarantee.
	The negotiators have also considered using census-based lists rather than registered lists. They have concluded that an immediate move to registered lists would relatively disadvantage those with accurate patient lists but that a move to using registered lists is their ultimate aim.
	A copy of the letter of 17 April has been placed in the Library. The negotiators are committed to sending clear guidance to all general practitioners on calculating potential income under the new contract. Implementation of the contract would follow the results of a ballot of the profession.

Health Visitors

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase health visitor numbers; what role the primary care trusts will have in this; and if they will receive extra funding to assist them.

Jacqui Smith: We have been successful in increasing the number of nurses working in the national health service with 39,500 more than in 1997, increasing the pool from which health visitors can be drawn.
	Figures from workforce development confederations (WDCs) show they are planning to increase the number of health visitor training places they commission over the next two years.
	A number of initiatives are being taken forward to support primary care trusts with the recruitment, retention and return to practice of health visitors and other primary care practitioners. These include:
	Establishment of a primary care nursing recruitment, retention and return practice project to support PCTs who have difficulties with the recruitment and retention of primary care nurses and health visitors.
	Launch of a dedicated primary care recruitment advert and flyer to promote return to health visiting practice.
	Commissioning of a primary care nursing workforce planning toolkit to support PCTs and WDCs.
	Funding of a project to support PCTs in developing more flexible entry routes into primary care for nurses.
	It is for PCTs and WDCs to determine the health visiting workforce required to tackle local and national health priorities and inequalities. 75 per cent. of the total NHS budget has now been allocated to PCTs and there will be sustained growth with an average 28 per cent. growth per PCT over the next three years.

Hospital Wards (Definition)

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 14 April 2003, Official Report, column 626W, on Ward (Definition), if he will place a copy of the data dictionary in the Library.

John Hutton: The national health service data dictionary is maintained by the NHS Information Authority. To facilitate its updating and use, the dictionary is now available in an electronic form only. It is no longer produced in the form of a document which could be placed in the Library.
	Access to the NHS data dictionary can now be made instead through the NHS Information Authority website at www.nhsia.nhs.uk/datastandards/pages/ddm/index.htm

Intercountry Adoption

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about the Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) Regulations.

Jacqui Smith: The Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) Regulations 2003 were finalised after taking into account:
	The 39 responses to the public consultation held between November 2001 and February 2002 on the draft Regulations and guidance, and
	The comments made by key interest groups at a meeting with officials arranged to discuss the draft Regulations after they had been revised in the light of the consultation responses.
	A summary of the consultation responses will be published together with the final version of the guidance in May.
	No formal representations have been received since the Regulations were made on 26 January 2003. However, departmental officials have received one email from a social services adoption manager, who wished to clarify a number of drafting points.

Mr. Mark Heyes

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what further action he has taken in response to the Prime Minister's letter of 23 October 2002 concerning Mr. Mark Heyes of Ormskirk.

Jacqui Smith: The Department of Health has received several pieces of correspondence concerning Mr. Mark Heyes. However there is no record of receiving correspondence from him dated 23 October 2002.
	The latest correspondence concerning Mr. Mark Heyes was dated 24 February 2003. A response to this correspondence has been recently posted.

National Minimum Wage

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost is in 200304 to his Department, agencies and the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible of the increase in the national minimum wage from 4.20 per hour to 4.50 per hour.

David Lammy: There will be no cost to the Department, its agencies and the non-departmental bodies.

Neonatal Care

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what measures he is taking to replace old equipment in neonatal intensive care units;
	(2)  how many neonatal intensive care units there are; where they are based; how many beds are in each unit; and what the (a) average and (b) greatest distance is that a baby has been transported for treatment in the last five years;
	(3)  when his Department's review into neonatal intensive care services is due to be published.

Jacqui Smith: There were 128 national health service trusts which reported neonatal intensive care cots at 31 March 2002. Information on the units, cot numbers and location have been placed in the Library. Information on distances travelled in transferring babies for treatment is not collected centrally.
	The review of neonatal intensive care services, by an expert group convened by the Department, was published on 10 April. This marks the start of a consultation period on the future direction of this service. The report and background papers to the review are available on www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/neonatal.htm.
	The consultation will take into account the group's recommendations for a more structured, collaborative approach to care, with hospitals working closely together in formal, managed networks, to provide the safest and most effective service for mothers and babies. This would provide for a three tier system with the designation of some hospitals that are specially equipped to care for the sickest and smallest babies, with other hospitals providing high dependency care and shorter periods of special care as close to home as possible. The numbers of hospitals in each network will be for local decision but must reflect local need and-geography with the aim of providing local services for all babies, except those who need the most intensive care in designated units. The results of consultation may effect the location of designated intensive care cots, the number of which we intend to increase. As the numbers of babies requiring this sort of care are small, we would not expect that any proposed changes to the neonatal care services would have an impact on local maternity service provision.
	In order to assist implementation of recommendations arising from this review, we are making 20 million additional capital funding available this year, which may be used for equipment replacement as required. We are also providing an additional 12 million for running costs in 200304 increasing to 19,857,000 in 200405 and to 20 million in 200506.

Neuro-psychology Services (South Manchester)

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of neuro-psychology services for patients suffering severe head injury who are resident in the South Manchester area.

Jacqui Smith: Tertiary neuro-psychology services for people living in South Manchester are provided at the Greater Manchester Neurosciences Centre, which is based at the Hope Hospital in Salford.

NHS Direct

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to publish the review into NHS Direct, referred to in the strategy document, Developing NHS Direct.

David Lammy: There are no plans to publish the review into NHS Direct. The key recommendations and rationale of the review into NHS Direct were published in the strategy document, Developing NHS Direct.

NHS Estates and Administration Staff

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) gardening staff, (b) electricians, (c) plumbers and (d) hospital secretaries are employed in the NHS as part of the latest figures for Estates and Administration staff, by (i) headcount and (ii) whole time equivalents; and how many there were in 1997.

John Hutton: Information on numbers of gardening staff, electricians, plumbers and hospital secretaries is not separately available, the first three are included within the 'maintenance and works' category, and medical secretaries are included in 'clerical and administrative staff in clinical support'. The information available is shown in the table.
	
		NHS Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS): Maintenance and works staff and clerical and administrative staff within clinical support in England as at 30 September each year
		
			  1997 2001 
		
		
			 Whole-time equivalent   
			 Maintenance and works staff(35) 13,295 11,758 
			 Clerical and administrative staffclinical support(36) 49,729 60,346 
			
			 Headcount   
			 Maintenance and works staff(35) 13,614 12,109 
			 Clerical and administrative staffclinical support(36) 63,971 77,861 
		
	
	(35) Maintenance and works staff includes gardeners, electricians, plumbers, caretakers and engineers who look after physical buildings.
	(36) Clerical and administrative staff in clinical support includes medical secretaries, blood transfusion service, family planning, etc.
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest whole number
	Source:
	Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census

NHS Work Force Statistics

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2003, Official Report, column 1275W, on NHS work force statistics, if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in publishing the annual NHS workforce statistics.

John Hutton: The national health service work force census will be published shortly.

Non-clinical Posts

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many practising NHS clinicians have been recruited to management, administrative and other non-clinical posts in the NHS in the past 12 months.

John Hutton: This information is not collected centrally.

North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority were first informed of financial problems at North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust; and what action they took to address this;
	(2)  how many people were approached by Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority to assist with financial problems of North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust; who they were; and on what basis they were selected.

Jacqui Smith: holding answers 1 May 2003
	Since April 2002, the board of the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority (SHA) has been concerned about the financial position of the North Cheshire Health community. A recovery plan was agreed in June, which, with brokerage from other communities, would have achieved financial balance in 200303.
	Despite intensive monitoring by the SHA, it remained concerned and in February asked the Audit Commission to retrospectively and prospectively review the plan's viability and assess the effectiveness of the corporate governance arrangements in the organisations within the North Cheshire Health Community.

North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority have had about the finances of North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust with (a) chairs of other NHS trusts and (b) others; and when the discussions took place.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 1 May 2003
	All national health service trusts have statutory obligations for meeting specific financial duties, including the requirement to achieve financial balance. The Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has a range of arrangements in place for monitoring the financial position of local NHS organisations. It has held three formal performance accountability review meetings with senior representatives of the North Cheshire Health Community, which includes the North Cheshire Hospitals Trust.

Nurse Prescribers

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his target is for the number of nurse prescribers; when the target was published; when the target is due to be met; what the baseline was for the target; and what progress has been made towards meeting the target.

John Hutton: We have already met the target set out in the NHS Plan, by enabling over 23,000 nurses with a district nurse or health visitor qualification to prescribe for their patients.
	The majority of nurses are able to supply medicines.

Overseas Nurse Advice Line

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his Answer of 11 March 2003, Official Report, column 20708W, regarding the overseas nurse advice line, which of the organisations listed attended the meeting to decide the continuing funding of the overseas nurse advice line.

John Hutton: The following organisations have attended the quarterly meeting on the international nurses advice line: Unison, Royal College of Nursing, Trent Workforce Development Confederation, Work Permits (UK), Filipino Community Support Group, Independent Healthcare Association, Registered Nursing Home Association, Department of Trade and Industry and the Philippine Embassy.

Paediatric Pathology

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on staff shortages in paediatric pathology; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The Department of Health is aware of the challenges facing National Health Service paediatric pathology services, highlighted in the recent report by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health on 'The Future of Paediatric Pathology Services'. Department of Health officials recently met the Presidents of Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the Royal College of Pathologists and the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology to discuss strategies for improving long-term staffing levels in this specialty. The children's care group workforce team is also considering this issue. The Department is also funding conversion fellowships to support experienced histopathologists to specialise in paediatric pathology. This will help improve staffing levels.

Radiographers

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many additional diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers have been employed in the NHS in (a) England, (b) each NHS region and (c) each NHS trust in each of the last six years.

John Hutton: Between 1997 and 2001, the number of diagnostic radiographers employed in the national health service have increased by 800 or 8 per cent. and therapeutic radiographers have increased by 140 or 10 per cent.
	Information on the number of diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers employed in the NHS from 19972001, broken down by NHS trust has been placed in the Library. Information from the September 2002 census will be available shortly.

Security Incidents

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of security incidents in the NHS in England in each year since 1997.

John Hutton: Information relating to security incidents in healthcare premises has been collected centrally since 1999. The number of security incidents reported since this date is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number of incidents 
		
		
			 200102 166,667 
			 200001 112,095 
			 19992000 106,935 
		
	
	The increase in the number of incidents reported to 2002 is due, in part, to healthcare organisations initiating better reporting procedures. Historically, there has been significant under reporting of violence towards staff in the national health service. A key objective of the NHS zero tolerance campaign has been to improve levels of reporting among staff. It was acknowledged that the level of recorded incidents was likely to rise in the short term.

Serious Road Accidents

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding is available within his Department for helping the victims of serious road accidents; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The Department does not allocate specific funding for serious road accident victims.
	It is our policy, within the framework set out in the NHS Plan and the 'Shifting the Balance of Power' initiative, to devolve funding decisions to the front line. It is now for primary care trusts, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services, based on the specialised knowledge they have of the local community.

Special Advisers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the salary bill was for special advisers in his Department in 200203; and what it is expected to be in 200304.

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 28 April 2003, Official Report, column 45W.

Telemedicine

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether money allocated to local authorities and primary care trusts and the additional extra funding announced as part of the package for the introduction of cross charging from next January will include funding for telecare and telehealthcare devices which promote independent living.

Jacqui Smith: There is no ring-fenced funding for telecare and telehealthcare devices within the allocations to local authorities and primary care trusts. The use of, and expenditure on, telecare and telehealthcare units in specific instances is a matter for local healthcare providers depending on local working practice and priorities.
	There will be no conditions linked to the additional funding for the introdution of cross-charging.

The Carers' Resource, Harrogate

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assistance his Department is giving to primary care trusts so that they can support voluntary organisations, with particular reference to The Carers' Resource in Harrogate.

Jacqui Smith: Primary care trusts (PCTs) can, at their discretion, provide funding to voluntary organisations from their general funding allocation. On 3 April, the Department of Health reminded PCTs and other health providers of Government policy regarding the critical role carers play.
	The Carers' Resource is receiving funding of 42,985 from Craven, Harrogate and Rural District PCT in the current financial year.

Working Time Directive

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff are being taken on by the NHS to manage the transition to the European Working Time Directive.

John Hutton: The national health service is substantially expanding its staffing to deliver more and improved care for patients including compliance with the Working Time Directive (WTD).
	These additional staff will help the NHS to comply with the WTD. It is equally important to change working practices, so that the additional staff are used in a way which not only delivers WTD compliance but also the extra service activity to meet NHS Plan targets.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Bullying and Harassment

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent investigations he has made into allegations of bullying and harassment of (a) male and (b) female council chief executives for political partisan motives; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: The Standards Board for England has responsibility for investigating allegations that members may have breached the code of conduct, including by seeking to bully employees or otherwise compromise the impartiality of those who work for the authority.

Cheltenham Borough Council

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will ask the Standards Board for England to look into allegations of unlawful practice by members of the Cheltenham Borough Council Cabinet.

Christopher Leslie: Any personincluding hon. Membersmay make a written allegation to the Standards Board that a member of a local authority has breached the code of conduct; the Board is statutorily required to consider all such allegations.

Civil Service (People with Disabilities)

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made in meeting targets for the proportion of people with disabilities in senior posts in the Department.

Christopher Leslie: Along with other Government Departments, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is taking steps to increase the number of people with disabilities in its senior posts by making greater use of open competition to provide a wider pool of diverse applicants from which to recruit to senior posts. The latest Office of the Deputy Prime Minister disability survey showed that 1.9 per cent. of its Senior Civil Service (SCS) have a declared disability (against the corporate SCS target of 3 per cent. by 2005).
	Two the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister participants are currently participating in the two year Cabinet Office Bursary Scheme for Talented Civil Servants with Disabilities and one other will begin in the next round.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Equality and Diversity Unit have commissioned an internal project to develop a statistical model to assist in the setting of employment targets for people currently under-represented in the organisation (both SCS and below). It does this by taking account both of internal manpower planning and the profile of the wider population.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister also participates in the Cabinet Office Disability Working Group which is looking at issues around data collection and culture change.

Contaminated Land

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures he will introduce to ensure that his Department's objective to ensure all contaminated land is returned to beneficial use by 2030 is achieved.

Michael Meacher: I have been asked to reply.
	Measures are already in place to address the legacy of contaminated land. From April 2000, Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 has placed local authorities in England under a duty to inspect their areas to identify contaminated land, as defined in the Act, and secure its remediation on the suitable for use principle. Further environmental measures include developing proposals to provide a more streamlined system for regulating the carrying out of remediation, and further technical guidance. Planning and building controls help ensure land is remediated as part of the development process, and new guidance in this field is in preparation.
	There is no objective of dealing with all contaminated land by 2030. There are Government targets relating to reclamation and re-use of brownfield land, which include cases where the land is affected by contamination. These targets are that 60 per cent. of new housing should by 2008 be provided on previously developed land and through conversion of existing buildings; and that brownfield land will be reclaimed at a rate of over 1,100 hectares per annum by 2004 (reclaiming 5 per cent. of current brownfield land by 2004 and 17 per cent. by 2010).

Council Chief Executives

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many council chief executives have left their positions since the introduction of the Local Government Act 2000; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Council Tax

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his Answer of 7 March 2003, Official Report, column 1263W, on council tax, if he will commission a report to assess the advantages and disadvantages of the different tax bands in Scotland, England and Wales, and whether a similar system might be of benefit in London.

Christopher Leslie: Work will commence in due course on a council tax revaluation in April 2005 coming into effect in April 2007 and the banding structure will be decided nearer to the revaluation. Ahead of revaluation, we will listen to views of taxpayers and local authorities and commission any necessary research.

Councillors (Surcharging)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to re-introduce surcharging of councillors in instances where unlawful practice has taken place; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: There are no plans to re-introduce surcharging. Instances of unlawful or unethical conduct can now be effectively dealt with through the regime established by the Local Government Act 2000, centred on the Standards Board for England and the Adjudication Panel.

E-Voting

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps are being taken to minimise fraud in the conduct of e-voting.

Christopher Leslie: There is a range of electronic, operational and administrative measures in place to guard against fraud in the e-voting pilots in the May 2003 local elections, including all e-voting pilots being subject to pre-election independent security checks. The Electoral Commission's post-election evaluation exercise includes consideration of fraud and security issues, and all pilot authorities are under a legal obligation to report instances of fraud to the police and the Commission.

EU Directives

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the EU Directives and Regulations which have been implemented by his Department since 17 April 2002.

Christopher Leslie: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister plays a leading role in the UK's EU Policy on planning, housing and local government issues. The Office is currently leading on the implementation of the energy performance of buildings directive as it has responsibility for most of the legislation that can be used to transpose the directive into law.
	EC regulations are, in general, directly applicable in the Member States, without the need for further incorporation into national law. Some regulations require UK measures to make them workable and enforceable. Some regulations enact small or technical amendments. Since its creation in May 2002, The Office has transposed Directive 2001/19/EC (the SLIM Directive which affects, as far as the Office's policy responsibilities are concerned, the registration of architects) into UK law.

Food Law Enforcement

Roger Williams: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much his Department and its predecessors has spent on food law enforcement for local authorities, by region, in each of the last 10 years.

Nick Raynsford: Food law enforcement by local authorities in England is funded through formula grant, distributed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and its predecessor Departments. Formula grant is not ring-fenced or hypothecated so it is not possible to identify a separate sum for a particular purpose.

Entertainment Costs

James Gray: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 14 April 2003 , ref 106392, how many hon. Members he has entertained for any purpose at the public expense in the last 12 months; how many of these were (a) Labour and (b) Conservative; and what the cost was in each case.

Christopher Leslie: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Local Elections

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will publish a report, following elections to parish and town councils in May 2003, on the number of uncontested elections; and if he will make a statement on the implications of an uncontested election upon an application to become a quality parish council.

Christopher Leslie: Information about parish council elections is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	Whether a parish council election is or is not contested does not affect any application for quality parish council status. Criteria for such status include requirements about the proportion of council members who stood for election whether or not it was contested.

Local Government Performance Order

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received about the Local Government (Best Value) Performance Indicators and Performance Standards Order.

Christopher Leslie: The Local Government (Best Value) Performance Indicators and Performance Standards Order 2003 specifies the Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPIs) which apply to Best Value authorities in 200304. The Order was made following extensive consultation last Autumn with local government and a wide range of other interested organisations on changes to the 200203 suite of BVPIs to be implemented from 1 April 2003. The detailed guidance on the 200304 BVPIs to support this Order was published in January this year. There have not been any representations specifically about the Order.

National Minimum Wage

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the extra costs imposed on local authorities in Buckinghamshire in the provision of (a) social services and (b) residential long-term care as a result of the increase in the national minimum wage.

Alan Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	The independent Low Pay Commission has examined the impact of the national minimum wage in successive reports to the Government. In their third report they estimated that the introduction of the minimum wage had increased the wage bill in residential care by between 1 and 2 per cent. In their fourth and most recent report they estimated that their recommended increase in the minimum wage rate for 1 October 2003 would increase the wage bill in the social care sector by up to 0.5 per cent. No breakdown of these figures is available by area or by public/private sector.
	Resources for the social care sector are now set to increase by an average of 6 per cent. per annum in real terms from 200304 to 200506.

Regional Assemblies

Richard Spring: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many responses he received from Suffolk to the public consultation on regional assemblies.

Nick Raynsford: By 1 May, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister had received 60 replies from individuals and organisations in Suffolk to the Soundings Exercise on the level of interest in a referendum on establishing an elected regional assembly. In the light of changes to the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill, we have asked for any further responses by 16 May.

Sheltered Housing

Mark Oaten: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to review the rent re-structuring formula for residents in sheltered housing.

Tony McNulty: My right hon. Friend the Lord Rooker, the Minister for Housing and Planning, announced the launch of the first three-year progress review of the 10-year social rent restructuring in England on 9 April. The review will gather evidence about the effects of rent restructuring and examine whether fine-tuning adjustments to the approach would make sense for tenants and landlords.
	The steering group, comprising the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Housing Corporation, Local Government Association, Association of London Government, National Housing Federation, Council of Mortgage Lenders, Department for Work and Pensions and a tenant representative are currently considering the priorities for the review. The aim is to complete the review by April 2004, and following consultation, to implement any changes justified by the evidence from April 2005.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Alzheimer's

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Northern Ireland Office is taking to highlight Alzheimer's Awareness week in Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: The Alzheimer's Awareness Week, which will run in Northern Ireland from 1522 June 2003 under the title of Mind your head, is a joint venture between the Alzheimer's Society and a leading bank. The aim of the week is to focus attention on what can be done to reduce the risk of dementia in the future. The Society is arranging various events to highlight the links between a healthy heart and a healthy brain and information and promotional material will be available throughout the week in the bank's branch offices.
	Although not directly involved in activities during Alzheimer's Awareness Week, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety actively supports the Alzheimer's Society and has for many years provided the Society with grant aid towards its central administrative costs.

Civil Service (Newry and Mourne)

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Civil Service jobs have been relocated to the Newry and Mourne district council area over the last two years; and what steps have been taken to encourage the redeployment of such jobs to this region.

Ian Pearson: No NICS jobs in the 11 devolved departments were relocated to Newry and Mourne district council area over the last two years. My officials are currently examining the report on the Strategic Review of Civil Service Office Accommodation, which includes an examination of the scope for decentralisation of Civil Service jobs. Until this exercise is complete, it would be wrong to attempt to pre-judge decisions on any subsequent dispersal of jobs or to speculate as to the locations that might be involved.

Education

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost is, per pupil, of providing education in each Northern Ireland education and library board area for primary and post-primary schools in the (a) controlled sector, (b) maintained sector and (c) integrated sector.

Jane Kennedy: The following figures set out the net expenditure per primary and post-primary school pupil for 200102 and have been taken from the latest available out-turn statements.
	
		
			 Board Sector Primary Post-primary  
		
		
			 BELB Controlled 2,576 4,008 
			  Maintained 2,301 3,701 
			  Integrated 2,155 3,260 
			 NEELB Controlled 2,175 3,310 
			  Maintained 2,341 3,506 
			  Integrated 2,512 3,813 
			 SEELB Controlled 2,601 3,667 
			  Maintained 2,518 3,560 
			  Integrated 2,861 3,434 
			 SELB Controlled 2,357 3,364 
			  Maintained 2,377 3,270 
			  Integrated 2,242 3,595 
			 WELB Controlled 2,559 3,477 
			  Maintained 2,374 3,531 
			  Integrated 2,297 3,549 
		
	
	The figures include:
	Amounts made available under LMS Formulae;
	Centre funds held by Boards and the Department and distributed to schools in the course of the year to meet certain costs arising from items of expenditure such as teacher substitution;
	Contingency funds and initiatives funded by both the ELBs and the Department;
	Integrated figures include both controlled integrated and grant maintained integrated schools; and
	Post Primary figures exclude controlled and voluntary grammar schools.
	The figures exclude centrally held resources, such as Home to School Transport, CASS, School Meals and Central Administration, as these are not costed to individual schools.

Force Research Unit

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to assess compensation entitlements for those victims injured or killed as a result of actions or omissions of the Force Research Unit, its predecessor and successor units.

Adam Ingram: I have been asked to reply.
	When compensation claims are made against the Ministry of Defence, they are assessed individually on the basis of the Department's legal liability in the particular circumstances of each case.

Health and Social Board

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) notice and (b) discussion occurs between hospitals outside the Northern Health and Social Board and the local community health trust within the Board area prior to discharging a patient into the community.

Des Browne: There are standing arrangements for the discharge of people from hospital that have been established between all hospital and community trusts. These arrangements have been drawn up in consultation with the appropriate Health and Social Personal Services personnel and are integrated within the assessment and care management process. Health and social services staff in both hospital and community settings should be aware of these arrangements which are based on good practice guidelines issued by the Department.

Health Trusts

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how many Northern Ireland health trust senior managers and managers sit on more than two public sector boards, authorities or non-governmental organisations;
	(2)  how many new senior managers' and managers' posts have been created in each of the last five years in each Northern Ireland health trust.

Des Browne: Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Health Trusts

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) senior managers and (b) managers are employed in each Northern Ireland health trust.

Des Browne: Figures showing the number of administration and clerical staff working in the 18 health trusts and other agencies are shown in the table. It was not possible to provide specific figures for the subsets of managers and senior managers. This was due to the complex nature of the administration and clerical grades and more specifically the lack of an agreed definition for manager and senior manager posts.
	
		Administration and Clerical Staff in HPSS organisations as at 31 March 2003
		
			 HPSS Organisation Headcount WTE 
		
		
			 Altnagelvin Group ESS Trust 403 354.5 
			 Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust 347 301.6 
			 Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust 778 691.3 
			 Causeway HSS Trust 524 456.3 
			 Craigavon and Banbridge Community HSS Trust 291 259.1 
			 Craigavon Area Hospital Group HSS Trust 410 357.5 
			 Down Lisburn HSS Trust 636 560.6 
			 Foyle Community HSS Trust 373 327.4 
			 Green Park Healthcare HSS Trust 268 237.0 
			 Homefirst Community HSS Trust 856 727.4 
			 Mater Infirmorum Hospital HSS Trust 201 176.0 
			 Newry and Mourne HSS Trust 415 358.4 
			 North and West Belfast HSS Trust 565 481.5 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust 1,045 937.6 
			 Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust 485 442.2 
			 South and East Belfast HSS Trust 624 535.1 
			 Ulster Community and Hospitals Group HSS Trust 877 727.6 
			 United Hospitals Group HSS Trust 661 551.5 
			 Other Agencies 1,823 17,16.4 
			 TOTAL 11,582 101,99.0

Health Trusts

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the salary costs for (a) senior managers and (b) managers in each Northern Ireland health trust are for 200304.

Des Browne: As the pay awards for 200304 have yet to be determined it is not possible to identify what the salary costs for (a) senior managers and (b) managers in Health and Personal Social Services Trusts will be.

Neurosurgery

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients in Northern Ireland have been waiting for neurosurgery admission to hospital for longer than (a) three years, (b) five years and (c) seven years.

Des Browne: Information from the Royal Group of Hospitals showing the number of persons waiting for neurosurgery admission to hospital at the end of April 2003 is presented in the table.
	
		
			Number 
		
		
			 Years waiting 34 56 7+ 
			 Number of persons waiting 132 29 12

Neurosurgery

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients in Northern Ireland have been awaiting initial neurosurgery out-patient assessment for longer than (a) 12 and (b) 18 months.

Des Browne: At the 31 December 2002, 14 people had been waiting between 12 and 17 months and four people had been waiting 18 months or more, for a first out-patient appointment in the neurosurgery specialty.

Neurosurgery

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he has taken to increase the recruitment and training of nurses to work in neurosurgery in Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: I refer the hon. Lady to the answer given to the hon. Gentleman for Belfast, South on 11 March 2003, Official Report, column 194W (Question ref. 102036).

Neurosurgery

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland of those awaiting neurosurgery hospital admission, how many patients are considered (a) emergency and (b) clinically urgent cases.

Des Browne: Information from the Royal Group of Hospitals indicates that at the end of April 2003 there were (a) 57 patients considered as emergency and (b) 84 patients considered as clinically urgent.

Newry Social Security Office

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to ensure a balance in the religious breakdown of staff at Newry Social Security Office.

Ian Pearson: Assessments of fair participation by community background in the Northern Ireland civil service are made on a service-wide basis, not at particular branch or office level.

NHS (Treatment Delays)

Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and the Northern Ireland Assembly concerning a definition for an unreasonable period of delay for treatment within the NHS, as phrased in the European Court of Justice ruling on treatment of patients abroad for patients from Wales.

Des Browne: The European Court ruling regarding the authorisation to receive medical treatment in another member state of the European Economic Area, the E112 system, did not define what was meant by undue delay by implication leaving that a matter for determination by each member state. If undue delay is considered when dealing with applications for E112s the yardstick used is waiting time. The Department's definition of excess waiting times is similar to the national UK targets for waiting times as published in the NHS Plan.

Population Projections

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the population projections for (a) primary and (b) post-primary schools in each Northern Ireland education and library board area are for each of the next 10 years.

Jane Kennedy: The Department of Education does not produce projections of pupil numbers at any geographical level lower than Northern Ireland as a whole.

Primary Schools (Ards)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce Key Stage 1 SEN units on site in mainstream primary schools in the Ards Peninsula.

Jane Kennedy: The South-Eastern Education and Library Board continually monitors the demand for places at all its special units. At present the Board advises that there are insufficient numbers of pupils in Key Stage 1 with a statement of special educational needs for moderate learning difficulties living in the Ards peninsula to warrant the opening of a new special unit.
	The Board will, however, continue to monitor the demand for such a unit.

Programme Funds

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding was allocated by the Voluntary and Community Unit of the Department of Social Development to the (a) Support for Regional Infrastructure of the Voluntary and Community Sector programme, (b) District Councils Community Support programme and (c) the EU Programme: Building Sustainable Prosperity, Measure 3.2 and 3.3.

Des Browne: The Voluntary and Community Unit, within the Department for Social Development, allocated the following amounts in 200203:
	(a) Support for Regional Infrastructure1,879,404
	(b) District Councils Community Support Programme3,360,207
	(c) EU Building Sustainable Prosperity
	Measure 3.21,144,780
	Measure 3.34,653,434

Pupil/Teacher Ratio (Northern Ireland)

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the pupil/teacher ratio is in Northern Ireland's primary and post-primary schools; and what it is projected to be in each of the next five years.

Jane Kennedy: The pupil/teacher ratios for 200203 are not yet available. The most recent information available is as follows:
	
		
			  200102 
		
		
			 Primary schools 19.9 
			 Preparatory departments 16.9 
			 Post primary schools 14.4  
		
	
	The Department does not calculate projected pupil/teacher ratios.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he has introduced to prevent the spread of SARS to Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: I am happy to confirm that there have not been any probable cases of SARS so far in Northern Ireland. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has been working in close liaison with the Department of Health (DOH)(L) and arising from that we have provided early, accurate information to both the public and the health service.
	The Chief Medical Officer contacted all doctors on 14 March, 18 March and subsequently on 8 April with detailed information on the symptoms and signs of SARS, and what to do if they encountered a possible case. The Department has also put in place high quality public health surveillance to enable the disease to be tracked closely. The Chief Medical Officer has also issued advice, on 2 April and on 24 April, to people travelling abroad, in line with WHO recommendations. Up to date information is available to the public on the Department's website and on those of the World Health Organisation, the new Health Protection Agency and the DOH(L).
	Finally, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has provided and made arrangements for posters to be displayed at appropriate points in air and sea ports advising incoming passengers, from those areas affected by SARS, about the symptoms of the disease and the importance of seeking medical attention, if they become ill, showing any of the symptoms.

School Enrolment

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the enrolment figures at (a) primary and (b) post-primary schools were in each Northern Ireland education and library board area in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  1998/99 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 
		
		
			 (a) Primary Schools  
			 Belfast 30,304 29,378 28,717 27,995 26,984 
			 Western 34,028 33,293 33,246 32,860 32,643 
			 North Eastern 39,244 38,926 38,743 38,758 38,713 
			 South Eastern 36,902 36,565 36,487 36,628 36,344 
			 Southern 41,236 40,794 40,436 40,099 39,467 
			 All Boards 181,714 178,956 177,629 176,340 174,151 
			 Preparatory Departments 
			 Belfast 1,652 1,593 1,490 1,415 1,355 
			 Western 50 36 28 20 9 
			 North Eastern 289 244 159 145 160 
			 South Eastern 1,049 1,019 1,015 990 997 
			 Southern 149 131 126 129 130 
			 All Boards 3,189 3,023 2,818 2,699 2,651 
			 (b) Post-Primary Schools 
			 Belfast 31,774 32,052 32,071 32,083 32,121 
			 Western 29,104 29,258 29,185 28,901 28,793 
			 North Eastern 32,957 33,155 33,566 33,732 33,822 
			 South Eastern 26,207 26,478 26,649 26,743 26,907 
			 Southern 33,902 34,021 34,082 34,044 34,104 
			 All Boards 153,944 154,964 155,553 155,503 155,747

Student Finance

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his plans to introduce university top-up fees in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: It is my intention to consider carefully the implications for Northern Ireland of the DfES White Paper on the future of higher education in England, including the fee issue, over the next few months; to take into consideration the outcome of the consultation process in England and discussions with local stakeholders including the Northern Ireland Higher Education Council; and to bring forward recommendations for the way forward in Northern Ireland in due course.

Teachers

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the projected number of teachers employed in primary and post-primary schools in each Northern Ireland education and library board area is for the next 10 years.

Jane Kennedy: The Department of Education does not produce projections of the number of teachers employed in primary and post-primary schools in each Northern Ireland education and library board area.

Teachers

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Northern Ireland teachers have (a) retired and (b) left the profession within their first three years, in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: The information is as follows:
	a) The numbers of teachers who have retired in each of the last five academic years are as follows:
	
		
			 1997/98 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 
		
		
			 870 778 748 873 782 
		
	
	b) The numbers of teachers leaving the teaching profession within three years of their first appointment in a permanent teaching post are as follows:
	
		
			 1997/98 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 
		
		
			 8 15 6 9 13

Teachers

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many teachers were employed in (a) primary and (b) post-primary schools in each Northern Ireland education and library board area in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested (expressed as full time equivalents) is as follows:
	
		Primary schools
		
			  Belfast Western North Eastern South Eastern Southern 
		
		
			 199293 1,384 1,614 1,769 1,586 1,894 
			 199394 1,474 1,673 1,838 1,663 2,001 
			 199495 1,517 1,688 1,852 1,695 2,046 
			 199596 1,613 1,717 1,871 1,741 2,066 
			 199697 1,611 1,737 1,897 1,758 2,085 
			 199798 1,560 1,728 1,906 1,715 2,102 
			 199899 1,532 1,628 1,863 1,725 2,062 
			 19992000 1,479 1,607 1,836 1,744 2,085 
			 200001 1,466 1,601 1,822 1,777 2,075 
			 200102 1,427 1,618 1,873 1,814 2,047 
		
	
	
		Preparatory departments(37)
		
			  Belfast Western North Eastern South Eastern Southern 
		
		
			 199293 71 4 15 38 10 
			 199394 61 3 16 38 9 
			 199495 102 3 20 45 11 
			 199596 110 3 20 46 9 
			 199697 110 3 19 46 10 
			 199798 101 3 19 48 10 
			 199899 103 3 17 49 13 
			 19992000 98 2 15 50 7 
			 200001 96 2 9 56 7 
			 200102 92 2 8 49 9 
		
	
	(37) The count of teachers is on a different basis from 199495 onwards.
	
		Post-primary schools
		
			  Belfast Western North Eastern South Eastern Southern 
		
		
			 199293 2,022 1,754 2,159 1,673 2,046 
			 199394 2,107 1,818 2,213 1,724 2,104 
			 199495 2,048 1,883 2,212 1,704 2,160 
			 199596 2,086 1,931 2,236 1,743 2,214 
			 199697 2,118 1,987 2,244 1,739 2,262 
			 199798 2,121 2,003 2,255 1,714 2,242 
			 199899 2,136 1,985 2,230 1,732 2,275 
			 19992000 2,199 2,005 2,252 1,776 2,316 
			 200001 2,236 2,059 2,286 1,827 2,338 
			 200102 2,269 2,038 2,324 1,857 2,321

Hospitals

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his policy is on the future of psychiatric services at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital in Omagh.

Des Browne: The predominant factor in determination of service provision will be the needs of clients and patients and, while the board is placing greater emphasis on more effective alternative provision within the community, there will continue to be a need to commission psychiatric in-patient services at Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital.

Hospitals

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for maintaining and developing acute services and sub-regional services at the Tyrone county hospital pending the putting in place of the proposed new hospital north of Enniskillen.

Des Browne: I do not envisage any change in the status of Tyrone county hospital, pending the development of the new acute hospital in the south-west. During the transition phase I expect every effort to be made to sustain acute services at Tyrone county hospital.